Clinton man killed in police standoff

Posted on March 12, 2016
DeWitt County Sheriff's Office
A DeWitt County Sheriff’s deputy was involved in a fatal standoff with a man in Clinton on Friday. (Photo courtesy DeWitt County Sheriff’s Office)

By Eric Stock

CLINTON – Police in DeWitt County shot and killed a man on who they say came at them with a butcher knife.

Police were called to the 46-year-old man’s home in Clinton on Friday on a report a man was suicidal and armed. DeWitt County sheriff Jared Shofner says police tried to de-escalate the situation for several minutes. The man reportedly told officers that he had taken measures to ensure that non-lethal force would not be effective, and that he would make officers shoot him. He was armed with a butcher knife and a club. Police say when the man advanced on them two Clinton Police officers and one DeWitt County Sheriff’s Deputy fired their weapons simultaneously to stop the armed man. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

DeWitt County Coroner Randy Rice identified the man was Jack Goodman of Clinton. Illinois State Police and the DeWitt County Coroner’s office are investigating.

Eric Stock can be reached at [email protected].

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