Suspect in DeKalb car dealership attack remains hospitalized, 2 cops on desk duty: Police

DeKALB – A knife-wielding man shot by DeKalb police Wednesday during an attack at a car dealership remains hospitalized Thursday but is expected to survive, deputy police chief Jason Leverton said.

The man, who authorities have not yet identified, was shot during the midday Wednesday attack after police said he refused to comply with their orders to put a knife down as he attacked multiple employees inside Brian Bemis Toyota of DeKalb dealership, 1890 Sycamore Road. One employee suffered stab wounds to their hand, authorities said. All employees were treated by paramedics on the scene and were not hospitalized.

Two DeKalb police officers have been placed on administrative duty, meaning they won’t do field work, pending an investigation by Illinois State Police into their use of force actions.

“It is standard procedure to be on admin duty until the investigation is complete,” Leverton said. “There are two officers from this event that are included in this requirement.”

Leverton said the DeKalb Police Department can’t release more specific information or clarify the ranks of the two officers involved.

The alleged attacker was airlifted to a Rockford hospital after receiving treatment by paramedics on the scene.

The DeKalb dealership was open Thursday. Calls with request for comment from the dealership were not returned.

Area law enforcement brought therapy dogs to the Toyota dealership in DeKalb Thursday to comfort employees in the aftermath, according to a Facebook post by Brian Bemis Toyota.

“Big thank you to our local Law Enforcement for bringing Therapy Dogs to visit! Our team loved the comfort and joy they shared,” the post reads.

Authorities said a 911 call came about 12:25 p.m. for reports of a person “who had become upset and was brandishing a knife,” at the auto dealership.

DeKalb police arrived within five minutes and “confronted the individual, who refused to drop the knife and instead advanced,” according to the release. Police shot the man after he refused to comply with orders to put down the knife, authorities said.

Officials have said they believe the incident was isolated and did not pose a larger or lingering threat to the community.

No criminal charges have been announced as of 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Leverton said. The investigation has been handed over to the ISP, since the attack ended after DeKalb police shot the man.

ISP were called to the dealership around 1:44 p.m. Wednesday, said State Trooper Jayme Bufford of the ISP’s public information office. Bufford did not provide information on motive or identify the suspect.

“The investigation is open and ongoing and no further information is available,” Bufford said.

Investigation into police use of force

After the state police investigation into the DeKalb officers’ use of force is complete, those findings will be turned over to the DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office for review, also normal procedure.

State’s Attorney Rick Amato said the ISP findings usually include: either a recommendation to bring charges against a police officer if state police believe the shooting was not justified; or just the findings without a recommendation.

If the investigation includes a recommendation to charge a police officer for unjustified use of force, Amato’s office would review the recommendations and could bring it to a grand jury for ruling. If state police determine the use of force was justified by the officer, Amato’s office would review that and could issue a statement that they concur with those findings.

The dealership attack marked the second shooting to involve police officers in less than a day in DeKalb County. After a police chase where a man allegedly took a woman hostage and fired a gun at police multiple times, DeKalb County sheriff’s deputies shot and killed the man in rural DeKalb Township shortly before 5 a.m. Wednesday.