Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) | senatorbryant.com
Sen. Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) | senatorbryant.com
A shootout near Mount Vernon Tuesday has resulted in the death of one and left one Illinois State Police trooper seriously injured, after stopping to help a stranded motorist and passenger on Interstate 64.
In a May 9 Facebook post, Sen. Terri Bryant reacted to the injury of the Illinois State Police Trooper—a 16-year-long veteran of the Illinois State Police force.
"My prayers and heartfelt thoughts go out to the veteran Illinois State Trooper who was injured in the line of duty early this morning," Bryant wrote in her post.
In the June 28, 2022 election, Bryant ran unopposed in her efforts to serve the residents of District 58. In her Facebook post, Bryant shared a post from the Illinois State Police detailing the incident.
"On 5/9/23, at approximately 3:00 a.m., ISP Troop 10 units responded to a motorists assist near Mt. Vernon on Interstate 64 eastbound. During the incident, an altercation occurred, and the male suspect displayed a firearm. Gunfire was exchanged between the suspect and Trooper. A 16-year veteran of the ISP received non-life-threatening injuries as a result of gunfire during the incident and is being treated at a regional hospital. The suspect is deceased. Initially, all lanes of I-64 eastbound were closed, but were reopened at approximately 6:25 a.m. ISP Division of Internal Investigation is leading an active and ongoing investigation and no further information is available. All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law," the post read.
According to a report by ABC7 Chicago, the incident occurred as an individual in the vehicle exchanged gunfire with one of the troopers, who was taken to the hospital with "serious but non-life threatening injuries" following the attack. All eastbound lanes of I-64 were closed after the shootout occurred around 3 a.m. but were opened just before 6:30 a.m. before closing again for another hour just after 7:45 a.m., ABC 7 reports.
The investigation remains ongoing by the Special Agents of the Illinois State Police Division of Internal Investigation as Illinois State Police process evidence and conduct interviews.
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