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BWC: Man with chainsaw runs into senior living home, strikes Ill. officer before fatal OIS

The state’s attorney’s office concluded that the St. Charles Police Department officer who fired the fatal shot acted within the law, using deadly force to prevent harm

ST. CHARLES, Ill. — Newly released body camera footage shows the moment a man attempted to start a chainsaw while running through a senior living facility, leading to an officer-involved shooting, ABC7 Chicago reported.

The incident began on Dec. 1, 2024, when a 911 caller reported seeing a man entering River Glen of St. Charles, a senior living facility, wielding a chainsaw, according to the report. Body camera footage released on March 18 shows an officer confronting the man near residents and ordering him to drop the weapon. Instead, the man entered the cafeteria and started the chainsaw.

The officer deployed a TASER, briefly knocking the man down, but he got up, grabbed the chainsaw, and ran toward the officer. After a pursuit through the facility, the man charged at an officer in the lobby, who fired two shots but missed.

Video shows the man was able to strike the officer with the chainsaw before a third shot hit his arm.

In a hallway, the man stopped near a resident in a wheelchair and made a gesture resembling holding a gun. An officer then fired a fourth shot, striking him in the chest. Officers provided medical aid before paramedics transported him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A toxicology report revealed methamphetamine and other substances in his system, according to the report. Authorities found no connection between the man and the senior home but noted his extensive criminal history.

The state’s attorney’s office concluded that the officer acted within the law, using deadly force to prevent harm, according to the report. No residents were injured in the incident.

A shirtless man with a chainsaw in a nursing home. A minute and 41 seconds of chaos. What would you have done and how long would it have taken you to decide?
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Joanna Putman is an Associate Editor and newswriter at Police1, where she has been covering law enforcement topics since August 2023. Based in Orlando, Florida, she holds a journalism degree from the University of Florida and spent two years working in nonprofit local newsrooms, gaining experience in community-focused reporting. Married to a law enforcement officer, she works hard to highlight the challenges and triumphs of those who serve and protect. Have a news tip? Email her at news@lexipol.com