The state's attorney's office has determined that the fatal officer-involved shooting of Kelvin Shaw in Rock Island County was justified.
"I conducted a review of the Rock Island County Integrity Task Force Investigation involving Kelvin Shaw and Rock Island Police Officers Steven Mumma and Tyler Evans," the state's attorney said in a release. "I have determined that both Officers, Mumma and Evans, were justified in their use of deadly force and the discharge of their duty weapons in their encounter with Kelvin Shaw on April 25, 2020."
Shaw died of his injuries.
You can read the full statement below.
"I conducted a review of the Rock Island County Integrity Task Force Investigation involving Kelvin Shaw and Rock Island Police Officers Steven Mumma and Tyler Evans. I have determined that both Officers, Mumma and Evans, were justified in their use of deadly force and the discharge of their duty weapons in their encounter with Kelvin Shaw on April 25, 2020. Kelvin Shaw subsequently passed away from his injuries.
This incident occurred on April 25, 2020, after Rock Island Police were dispatched to an apartment located at 2930 5th Avenue, Rock Island, Illinois. The dispatch call reported an aggravated domestic battery in which two female victims were being held at gunpoint and one had
received multiple physical injuries. The call indicated the two females had been unable to leave the residence due to an armed male suspect.
Upon officers’ arrival they secured the premises and were able to speak with the two female occupants of the apartment and lead them safely out of the apartment. The two victims informed the officers that the male suspect remained hidden in the apartment and had a firearm.
One victim had multiple lacerations and bruising on her face which required medical treatment and was transported by EMS to Unity Point.
While several officers maintained a watch on the apartment front door and assembled a tactical approach to enter, Officers Mumma and Evans assisted in establishing a perimeter around the apartment building.
The suspect inside the apartment was identified as Kelvin Shaw who had an active warrant for a weapons violation. Shortly thereafter, Shaw was seen escaping out of a window on the west side of the apartment building. Shaw jumped out and attempted to run west towards a parking lot. Several uniformed officers yelled the verbal command for him to “STOP!” and he did not comply. Body camera footage shows that Shaw was wearing boxer shorts and carrying a firearm in his right hand. Shaw attempted to climb a fence as officers Mumma and Evans approached him, but then stepped down and pointed his firearm directly at officers. Mumma and Evans both discharged their weapons for a total of 5 shots, 3 of these shots hit Shaw. A loaded .40 caliber Smith & Wesson handgun was located in Shaw’s right hand.
Officers immediately secured Shaw’s weapon and began chest compressions until EMS arrived on the scene to transport the suspect to the hospital. He passed away three days later from the injuries he sustained.
Both Officers Mumma and Evans used their training and experience to respond to the rapidly evolving situation involving a firearm being pointed in their direction and towards other officers.
Shaw was a danger to Officer Mumma, Evans, other officers present and to the general public. A police officer has the right to use force he reasonably believes is necessary to effectuate an arrest. An officer may use deadly force against a person using a deadly weapon that is resisting arrest or is attempting to escape by use of a deadly weapon (720 ILCS 5/7-5(1)). An officer may also use deadly force in their defense of himself or others against imminent death or great bodily harm (720 ILCS 5/7-5).
Based on the totality of the circumstances and the specific facts outlined above, both Officer Mumma and Evans discharging their duty weapons was reasonable and justified in their encounter with Kelvin Shaw on April 25, 2020. To ensure transparency and allow the public to see the tremendous assistance of our law enforcements’ new Body Camera technology, I am releasing the related footage of this incident.
A link has been shared via email with this letter.
This concludes my review of the Integrity Task Force Investigation into this matter."
For those wishing to see the video: Viewer discretion is advised and you can view that footage at this link.
In a statement released by the Rock Island Police Department, following the state's attorney's findings, the officers will be returning to an active duty status. They were placed on restrictive duty status during the investigation.