A suspect wanted after shooting at law enforcement in Henry County Tuesday morning has died following an officer-involved shooting.
Investigators say just after 4:20 Tuesday morning, officers with the Geneseo Police Department were informed that Henry County deputies had been shot at by a suspect following a traffic stop in the Village of Atkinson.
Police say the suspect, 30 year old Jeffery Ryan Blunk, of Geneseo, had fired a shotgun at deputies. Investigators say the deputies did not return fire and Blunk was able to run from the area.
The police department says they began assisting the Henry County Sheriff’s Office in locating the suspect. Additionally, officers with the US Marshals Service, Illinois Department of Corrections and the Illinois State Police helped in locating Blunk.
Around 9:50 a.m., officers say they found Blunk, who was armed with a shotgun, in the area of US Highway 6 and Dilenbeck Drive. Investigators say officers began to negotiate with Blunk and attempted to deescalate the situation.
Police say the negotiations lasted over an hour and a half, but the incident ended in an officer-involved shooting and the death of Blunk. The officer who was involved is reportedly a task force member of the US Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force.
Police say Blunk was wanted for the following crimes that took place Tuesday morning:
- Aggravated discharge of a firearm
- Attempted murder of a police officer
- Home invasion
- Aggravated kidnapping
- Outstanding felony warrants
The incident is being investigated by the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigations. Additional information will be released by the Illinois State Police.