A man was shot and killed by police after he allegedly advanced at an officer with a gas can strapped to his chest while armed with a knife and hammer in Waukegan.
The Waukegan Police Department responded around 12:30 p.m. Wednesday to the 1000 block of Glen Court in Waukegan for a report of a neighbor dispute.
Officers were informed of a neighbor who was trying to start a chainsaw and had gasoline, Waukegan Deputy Police Chief Joe Florip said.
An officer arrived and found the wooden fence between the two residences in question on fire.
The officer grabbed a fire extinguisher from his squad car to put the fire out.
As the officer walked towards the fire, a male who had a knife, hammer and gas can taped to his chest, advanced at the officer, Florip said.
The officer gave commands to stop advancing and the man allegedly refused.
The man was shot by the officer and was pronounced dead at the scene, Florip said.
The man was identified as a Waukegan resident in his 20s.
His full identity will be released after an autopsy by the Lake County Coroner’s Office is complete.
The coroner’s office said that the autopsy has been scheduled for Thursday morning.
The officer involved in the shooting is a 15-year police veteran in his 30s, Florip said.
The Illinois State Police was requested to investigate the incident.