More details released in deadly officer involved shooting in Rantoul

RANTOUL, Ill. (WAND) - A male suspect is dead after Rantoul Police said one of its officers was involved in an incident in which shots were fired.

Champaign County Coroner Duane Northrup has identified the man as 21-year-old Azaan Lee of Champaign, Illinois, formerly of Chicago.

The incident happened Monday night in the 200 block of Campbell Ave. around 11:15.

RPD said officers located an alleged stolen vehicle parked in the 300 block of Belle Avenue. While investigating the stolen vehicle, they said there was a "physical encounter with an armed male subject and shots were fired."

They said the suspect ran on foot, eventually losing consciousness several blocks away.

According to the department, officers and AMT Ambulance workers provided medical aid to Lee at the scene following the shooting. He was transported to the hospital where he later died.

An autopsy was conducted by the Champaign County Coroner’s Office. Preliminary results indicate that Lee died from a gunshot wound to his left leg that perforated the femoral artery.

The officers involved were uninjured.

A release from police said:

"In accordance to Illinois State Statutes and Rantoul Police policy surrounding officer involved shootings, a multi-jurisdictional team of investigators has been called to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The Champaign County Multi-Jurisdictional Investigative Team (CCMJIT) is led by investigators of the Illinois State Police. This team will spend the next several days and weeks conducting interviews, collecting evidence, and completing reports in regards to this shooting. Once all information is collected, the full report will be forwarded to the Champaign County State Attorney’s Office for review. Additionally, an internal review will be conducted by the Rantoul Police Department to assess the use of force.

The police department recognizes and understands the feelings of the public and the scrutiny of police actions which surround any serious use of force incident. We ask the community for patience during this process. The police department also asks for any person with information, surveillance footage, or any other evidence to contact the Rantoul Police Department or Illinois State Police.

The Rantoul Police Department thanks the Illinois State Police, Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, and the other jurisdictions involved with the investigation. We also thank the public for their patience and understanding during this process."

WAND News is working to learn more about what lead to the shooting. We will update this story as more details are released.