A Naperville police officer fatally shot a man today when the man came at him with a hatchet, according to a press release by the Naperville Police Department.
Charged With Hatchet
The shooting took place today around 11 a.m. The involved officer was making a traffic stop near the intersection of Bond Street and McDowell Road. During the stop, another car unrelated to the original incident pulled up next to the pulled over vehicle. A man got of the car and charged at the officer while holding a hatchet, authorities said. Police have released a still image from the officer’s bodycam, which shows the hatchet in the man’s hand.
The officer then took out his firearm and shot the man, who is described as a white man in his 20s. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. His identity has not yet been released, pending notification of his family.
The officer was not injured in the incident. The NPD says he is a 22-year-veteran of the force.
Independent Investigation
After the incident, the DuPage County Metropolitan Emergency Response and Investigative Team (MERIT) and the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office were contacted. They will be conducting an independent investigation into what happened.
Witnesses Sought
Anyone who witnessed the incident is asked to reach out to Lt. Thayer, the commander of MERIT’s public integrity team, at (630) 434-5653.
Naperville News 17’s Kim Pirc reports.
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