Rural Dixon resident shoots 3 deputies after barricading himself in his Lost Lake home – Shaw Local

DIXON – A rural Dixon resident armed with two handguns shot three members of the Ogle County Sheriff's Office Emergency Response Team Wednesday afternoon after police were called at his home by a family member, Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle said.

Police were called at 8:39 a.m. Wednesday to 402 Wild Rice Lane in Lost Lake, a rural subdivision east of Dixon. The family member who called police warned them it could be a “suicide by cop” situation, VanVickle said. The individual had threatened suicide and homicide, VanVickle told Shaw Local.

After a three-hour standoff, three deputies and a resident of the home were shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire. A deputy and the shooter were undergoing surgery Wednesday evening; two other deputies were treated at KSB Hospital in Dixon and released.

All three deputies are members of the Ogle County Sheriff's Office Emergency Response Team. The ERT is made up of people from different agencies, including the sheriff's office, the Oregon and Byron police departments, as well as SWAT medics from the Rochelle Fire Department.

Officers arrived on scene around 9 a.m. ERT was called at 9:18 a.m.

“It was quickly determined that our emergency response team would be activated,” VanVickle said.

At 10:40 a.m., hostage negotiators made the first call to the suspect's cell phone. A total of 50 phone calls were made to the residence with no response, VanVickle said. Additional resources were mobilized to respond to the scene at 11:09 a.m.

“At 11:51 a.m., due to the lack of communication, it was determined that our ERT would enter the home and determine the welfare of this individual,” VanVickle said. “Immediately after entering the home, our deputies received gunfire from inside the home. Three deputies were struck by gunfire and transported to local hospitals. The suspect was also struck by gunfire and transported to a local hospital.

The suspect was armed with two handguns, a knife and pepper spray and was wearing what appeared to be a bulletproof vest when he charged at police, VanVickle said.

“Two officers were transported by ground to KSB, where they were treated and released. One of them was airlifted to OSF and is currently in surgery,” VanVickle said Wednesday evening.

The suspect, who was alone in the residence, was also shot and taken to KSB, where he was undergoing surgery, VanVickle said.

Charges are pending after a review by the Ogle County State's Attorney's Office, VanVickle said. A search of the home is part of the investigation, he said.

“It was a really, really bad situation,” VanVickle said.

After finding the suspect barricaded inside the door, officers were ambushed, VanVickle said. All their training is aimed at “making sure everyone gets home,” he said.

Cheri Kemp, a longtime Lost Lake resident, was gardening Wednesday afternoon when she heard an “explosion,” she said in an interview with Shaw Local.

Kemp's garden was about a quarter mile from 402 Wild Rice Lane. Upon hearing what sounded like a shooting, Kemp described seeing officers in SWAT gear around the residence.

“You see this kind of thing on the news,” Kemp said, adding that it “doesn’t happen here.”

It's a very peaceful community, she said, but “you have no idea what's going on in someone's house.”

VanVickle said because the Ogle County Sheriff's Office is a small, rural agency, “we used every resource we had today.”

Ogle County ERT was assisted on scene by the Lee County Sheriff's Office, DeKalb County Sheriff's Office, Carroll County Sheriff's Office, State Police Illinois, Dixon Rural Fire Department, Dixon City Fire Department, Oregon Fire Department, Mount Morris Fire Department, Polo Fire Department and Helicopter Resources Rockford REACT and OSF Life Flight.

Illinois State Police will lead the investigation into the shooting, VanVickle said.