Holly MatkinDupo, IL – An Dupo police officer was shot in the neck while responding to a report of a disturbance on Sunday afternoon.
The incident began at approximately 1:20 p.m. on Feb. 26, when the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department (SCCSD) received a report of a disturbance and shots fired at a residence located in the 400-block of McBride Avenue, KTVI reported.
Deputies responded to the scene and located the body of a deceased male, according to KSDK.
A Dupo Police Department (DPD) officer was traveling along McBride Avenue near the Interstate 255 overpass a short while later when he spotted a man in a piece of construction equipment, police said.
The officer stopped and exited his vehicle, at which point the man inside the construction equipment allegedly shot him, KSDK reported.
The officer was hit in his neck and shoulder, according to investigators.
Police said the gunman, later identified as Reginal Allen, then stole the wounded DPD officer’s patrol vehicle and drove to the 700-block of McBride Avenue, KSDK reported.
He headed into his house and barricaded himself inside for several hours.
BREAKING UPDATE! Illinois State Police confirms a Dupo officer has been struck by gunfire and since transported to an area hospital with serious injuries.
One deceased victim has been located at a nearby residence.
The suspect is believed to be barricaded in another nearby… https://t.co/4V3l0pwmxa pic.twitter.com/BVKlZPgKoH
— {Matt} $XRPatriot (@matttttt187) February 27, 2023
Law enforcement officers and armored vehicles soon swarmed the neighborhood and emergency medical personnel staged nearby, KSDK reported.
A medical helicopter landed in the street at approximately 3:30 p.m., according to KTVI.
Police blocked traffic in the area for several hours.
The scene on Stolle Rd. near McBride Ave. in St. Clair County is still very active. We know a suspect shot a Dupo police officer and there is one other person officers found dead at a home. They are only allowing residents to leave the area, no one is allowed in. @ksdknews pic.twitter.com/1ZKZDYjumE
— Laura Barczewski (@LcBarczewski) February 26, 2023
Neighbor Richard Jones said he walked outside to see “150 cops lined up” along the street, KTVI reported.
“I was sitting in the house, minding my business, had my scanner go off, seen a Dupo cop go down the long end of McBride,” resident Tamra Dolin, told KMOV. “Next thing I heard was ‘officer down’ and heard somebody say something about an AK-47.”
Investigators said they worked to get the suspect to surrender for hours before they finally forced entry into his house at about 10:30 p.m., KSDK reported.
Allen was found dead inside his garage from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, SCCSD Master Sergeant Brad Clossen told reporters.
The wounded officer was rushed to the hospital in serious condition, KSDK reported.
The officer underwent surgery on Sunday night and remained in serious condition on Monday morning, according to the news outlet.
His identity has not been released.
CONFIRMED: An officer from Dupo, IL Police was shot this afternoon. There is a heavy police presence on Stolle Rd. Near the Conoco Gas Station on Rte. 3. We are working on more updates on @FOX2now @KPLR11 pic.twitter.com/a0yBm0jHYs
— Kim Kelly Hudson (@kimhudsontv) February 26, 2023
Police have also not released the identity of the deceased victim found at the scene of the initial 911 call, KSDK reported.
Sgt. Clossen said Allen and the deceased victim had worked together, but the motive for the fatal shooting remained unclear on Monday morning, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Police allowed residents to return to their homes at about midnight.
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Sandy Malone
