DeKalb police shoot man accused in stabbing at car dealership, officials say

ByABC7 Chicago Digital Team, Rob Hughes, and Eric Horng WLS logo
Thursday, October 24, 2024
DeKalb police shoot knife-wielding man at car dealership
DeKalb police shoot knife-wielding man at car dealershipDeKalb police shot a knife-wielding man accused in a stabbing Wednesday at a Toyota car dealership on Sycamore Road, officials said.

DEKALB, Ill. (WLS) -- Illinois State Police are investigating an officer-involved shooting related to a knife attack Wednesday at a car dealership in DeKalb.

A man was shot by police just before 2 p.m. after he attacked multiple people with a knife at a Toyota car dealership in the 1800 block of Sycamore Road, DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes told ABC7.

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The midday incident brought police from multiple departments to the DeKalb dealership turned crime scene.

Officials said a man who was inside the business produced a knife and started attacking people. At least one car dealership employee received minor injuries from the attack and was treated at the scene, police told ABC7.

The attacker was shot by police after he approached officers and refused to put down the knife, police said. He was flown to a hospital in Rockford, and he was later reported to be in good condition.

Tiffany Wells' daughter works at the Bemis Toyota where the incident took place.

"It's really scary to think that you don't have control over what can happen," Wells said.

Minutes before police were called to the scene, Wells told ABC7 her daughter had spoken to the suspect, described in his late 20s or early 30s, dressed in all black, with his his hair in a ponytail.

"Just some of the things he was saying were just odd, stuff about knowing stars and talking about some mental illness items that didn't make her feel comfortable," Wells said.

Wells said her daughter, feeling uneasy, went outside. Moments later, police said the man began attacking employees, stabbing or slashing one of them, before officers arrived.

"They immediately commanded the person with the knife to drop the weapon, did not drop the weapon, turned to them, and started advancing to them," DeKalb City Manager Bill Nicklas said.

Officials said police then opened fire, wounding the man. Wells was on FaceTime with her daughter as shots were fired.

"She goes, 'Mom, people are running out of the building.' Like what, what?" Wells said. "She goes, 'They're running out of the building, and one of them said 'duck', and they're ducking behind the cars.'"

The accused attacker's identity has not yet been released and he is expected to survive.

"Something like this is shocking to all of us," Mayor Barnes said. "It does happen. Obviously, we see that across the United States, but really this is not a characteristic of DeKalb."

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No further information was immediately available.

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