Illinois: Rockford police charge parolee after taxi carjacking, shots fired and two crashes
Illinois Law Enforcement
Two police officers opened fire early this morning on a suspect who allegedly struck one of them with a stolen taxi and backed it into a Rockford police squad car, according to information from the Rockford Police Department.
No one was shot. The suspect, later identified by police as Brian D. Smart, 24, of Rockford, was arrested and charged with aggravated vehicular hijacking, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.
Chief Dan O'Shea said the carjacking, crashes and fleeing from police is the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation.
The use of deadly force by the police officers is under review by the Winnebago County State's Attorney's Office, according to a police department news release. The names of the two officers involved are not being released at this time.
Although no one was shot, police supervisors, command staff and internal affairs are conducting a review.