Police officers fatally shot a man armed with a chainsaw inside a senior assisted living facility in St. Charles, Illinois.
Videos by Suggest
Daniel H. Escalera, a resident of Stockwell, Indiana, was shot and killed by police on Dec. 1, 2024, at the River Glen of St. Charles assisted living facility. On Tuesday, Kane County prosecutors announced that the officers involved in the incident will not face criminal charges, per CBS News.
The Kane County State’s Attorney, Jamie Mosser, announced Tuesday that an Illinois State Police investigation into the shooting has concluded the officers’ actions were justified. As a result, no criminal charges will be filed against the officers involved.
Harrowing Body Cam Footage Shows Cops Attempting to Talk Down Chainsaw-Wielding Man at Senior Living Facility
Body camera footage released by Mosser’s office captures St. Charles police officers engaging with Escalera in the building’s lobby and cafeteria.
The first officer on the scene aimed a Taser at Escalera as he attempted to start the chainsaw. The officer repeatedly instructed him to drop the chainsaw. Escalera, seemingly searching for his wife, could be heard asking, “Where is she?”
After starting the chainsaw, an officer deployed a Taser, striking Escalera in the chest and bringing him to the ground in the facility’s cafeteria—just a few feet from two people seated at a nearby table. Moments later, Escalera regained his footing and charged at the officer, forcing the officer to retreat into the lobby.
As more officers entered, Escalera moved into the lobby, raised a chainsaw, and charged at an officer. The officer fired twice but missed. Escalera collided with the officer, hit him with the chainsaw, and dropped it. The officer then shot Escalera in the arm after he dropped the chainsaw.
However, Escalera then ran into a nearby hallway. That’s where an officer shot him in the chest, just inches away from a person in a wheelchair.
In the video, Escalera collapses to the ground after being shot. Officers are then seen handcuffing him before administering first aid and calling for paramedics. Mosser’s office reported that Escalera was taken to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
A Toxicology Revealed Multiple Substances in the Suspect’s System, Including Methamphetamine
An autopsy revealed that Escalera died from multiple gunshot wounds. Toxicology reports also showed that he was intoxicated with methamphetamine at the time of his death. Mosser’s office stated that his system also contained amphetamines and olanzapine, a medication typically used to treat schizophrenia.
Mosser’s office stated that, after reviewing the video and other evidence, prosecutors determined there was “no wrongdoing on the part of the officers.” They concluded the investigation without filing any charges.
Meanwhile, police said Escalera had no ties to the area, the senior living center, or St. Charles police. It is unclear why he was in St. Charles.