LITCHFIELD, Ill. — Illinois State Police on Thursday released body camera footage of the fatal police shooting of a man who they said pointed a gun at officers on Thanksgiving Day in Litchfield.
ISP identified the man on Thursday as 41-year-old Shane M. Boston.
The two videos, both uploaded to ISP's YouTube page, are timestamped shortly after 10 a.m. on Nov. 24. The videos show separate perspectives recorded by the body cameras worn by two Litchfield officers involved in the incident.
ISP said in a news release accompanying the footage that it was released after consultation with and authorization from the Montgomery County State’s Attorney's Office.
The shooting scene was along West Union Avenue in Litchfield, about a mile east of Interstate 55. Officers responded to a call for a suspicious person at the McDonald's, the release said. As officers arrived, ISP said Boston fled the scene and attempted to carjack a person driving a pickup truck.
While in pursuit of Boston, a Litchfield officer deployed a stun gun on Boston, who then pointed a gun at officers, ISP said. Bodycam footage from the officer who deployed the stun gun showed Boston display what appeared to be a gun.
Two Litchfield police officers, a Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputy and a state trooper fired their weapons at Boston, who then fell to the ground.
Boston was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead later that same day, ISP said. No officers were injured.
The state police Division of Internal Investigation is investigating the shooting and will submit its findings to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney's Office.
Litchfield is about 50 miles northeast of St. Louis.
An investigation is ongoing.
The videos may be viewed on the Illinois State Police YouTube page.
Editor's note: The contents of the videos may be upsetting. Viewer discretion is advised.
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