Police fatally shoot chainsaw-wielding man at senior living facility, officials say

WLS

By Tre Ward

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    ST. CHARLES, Illinois (WLS) — A chainsaw-wielding man was shot and killed by police Sunday morning in the west suburbs, officials said.

The officer-involved shooting happened in the 900 block of North 5th Avenue at the River Glen of St. Charles senior living facility, St. Charles police said.

A shirtless man was reportedly attempting to cut down a tree outside around 8:45 a.m. of the building before he then entered the senior living facility, police said. The suspect then began to confront senior home residents with his chainsaw, according to responding officers.

Police deployed a taser after attempts to de-escalate the situation failed, officials said. The man then allegedly continued his attack on tenants and officers.

At that point, an officer shot the suspect with his service weapon, St. Charles police said.

The chainsaw-wielding man was taken to a hospital in Geneva, where he was later pronounced dead. Police said the suspect’s name is being withheld until next of kin is notified.

Some senior home residents and officers were treated for minor injuries, police said.

There was a large police presence at the scene as officials continue to investigate. Illinois State Police have been contacted to lead the investigation of the officer-involved shooting, which is protocol.

People who live nearby told ABC7 they were left shaken.

“This is our neighborhood, so you know, very scary,” nearby resident Tom Lapis said.

The damage to the trees outside of the assisted living facility apparently revealed the violent path of a chainsaw-wielding man before he was shot and killed by St. Charles Police.

“Well, we were concerned… Frightening. It’s frightening,” nearby resident Lori Lapis said.

Officials said there is no longer any active threat to the public, but asked residents to avoid the area while police investigated.

“Oh my goodness. That’s very scary, just because it’s such a quiet neighborhood,” Tom Lapis said. “We see a lot of people walking up and down. Boy, it’s shocking.”

“I know how vulnerable these people are and what they go through,” Lori Lapis said.

A spokesperson for River Glen of St. Charles issued the following statement:

“An unauthorized person briefly entered our community and was quickly stopped by responding officers. We are deeply grateful for the swift action of our team and law enforcement. We want to emphasize that our community is secure, and all residents and staff members are safe. The safety and security of our residents and staff remain our highest priority. We are working closely with law enforcement as they continue their investigation of this isolated incident.”

No further information was immediately available.

“It scares us, but I’m sure it’s a one-time incident,” Tom Lapis said.

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