EAST MOLINE, Ill. — An East Moline man shot by police during a confrontation Friday has been identified by officials as 80-year-old Eugene Mewes, who died Monday, May 20.
The incident occurred around 2:17 p.m. on Friday, May 17, at the Hometown Harbor Apartment Complex on 49th Avenue in East Moline. According to Moline Police Chief Darren Gault, who serves as Public Information Officer for the Rock Island County Integrity Task Force, an employee at the complex reported a resident had fired their handgun. The caller said the man walked down 49th Avenue to the backside of the apartment complex. Two East Moline police officers responded to the scene at 2:24 p.m.
Gault said a confrontation occurred, during which one or more of the officers discharged their weapons and shot the man. Officials say the man was armed with a handgun that was retrieved at the scene. Officers say they administered first aid until EMS arrived at 2:30 p.m.
Mewes sustained life-threatening injuries from the shooting and was transported to a local hospital. He was later flown to a Peoria hospital where he passed away at 11:35 p.m. Monday. According to the Peoria County Coroner's Office, Mewes suffered multiple gunshot wounds "and had injuries that were not compatible with life."
The East Moline Police Department has identified the two officers involved as Lt. Dustin Edkin and Officer Garrett Kistner. Edkin has been with the department for 20 years and Kistner for 16 years.
East Moline Police Chief Jeff Ramsey is handling the internal investigation. Ramsey said Friday that the two officers have been placed on administrative leave as the investigation takes place, which Ramsey said is the common protocol.
This was not the police's first encounter with Mewes. Gault confirmed that on May 16, the day before the shooting, East Moline Police responded to the complex after the man got into an argument and physical struggle with a maintenance worker at the facility. No other details on this incident were made available.
The Rock Island County Integrity Task Force and Rock Island County State's Attorney Dora Villarreal are reviewing in-car and body camera video of the incident, according to a Friday press release from the task force. Once the task force's investigation is complete, the State's Attorney will decide if the East Moline officers' actions were lawful. Gault said East Moline officers will not be participating in this investigation.
Ramsey asked the task force to respond immediately after the incident, a Friday press release says.
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