BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Authorities say police in southern Illinois have fatally shot a man who fired at them after he apparently became agitated.
The shooting happened Tuesday afternoon in Belleville. Police say 39-year-old Donald Martin fired at officers several times and made suicidal comments before a police shot him. The St. Clair County coroner’s office says he was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Belleville police Master Sgt. Todd Keilbach tells the Belleville News-Democrat that Martin first fired what appeared to be a shotgun in the direction of officers. Keilbach says patrol officers and tactical unit officers returned fire and he was found unresponsive.
State police are investigating.
Neighbor Paula Daley said Martin started throwing bottle rockets into her yard shortly before the shooting. Daley says she was frightened by his behavior.
