Crime
Police Chase Ends in Gunfire and Multiple Officer Injuries in Savanna
SAVANNA, Ill. — A multi-agency police pursuit involving a stolen vehicle ended in a gunfire exchange early Thursday morning in Savanna, resulting in injuries to several law enforcement officers and the suspect.
According to a statement released by law enforcement, the incident began around 10:00 p.m. Wednesday, when Freeport Police responded to reports of a stolen vehicle.
Officers located the vehicle, but the driver fled the scene and struck a police squad car during the initial encounter. Officers briefly pursued the vehicle before losing sight of it and terminating the chase.
Later that night, a Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Deputy spotted the stolen vehicle near Hanover, Illinois. Another short pursuit was initiated but was also called off.
At approximately 3:40 a.m. Thursday, the suspect was located again in the Savanna area. During this renewed pursuit, authorities say the suspect rammed another police squad car, escalating the situation.
The first “shots fired” call came in at 3:45 a.m., followed by a second at 3:48 a.m.
Moments later, the suspect crashed the vehicle at the intersection of Chicago and Park Streets, striking a Mount Carroll Police Department squad car.
At 3:49 a.m., officers made physical contact with the suspect, during which additional shots were exchanged.
Multiple officers from the Savanna Police Department, Mount Carroll Police Department, and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The suspect was also injured during the incident and was airlifted to a regional hospital, where he is currently listed in stable condition.
The Illinois State Police has taken over the investigation, which remains ongoing.
By 6:00 a.m., local news crews observed a large police presence near South Gilbert Street and Chicago Avenue, where officers continued to secure and process the scene.
Further updates are expected as investigators work to determine the sequence of events and whether additional charges will be filed.
A journalist reporting on the shooting involving New York Jets cornerback Kris Boyd says he was assaulted by Jets wide receiver Irvin Charles and others at the scene early Sunday morning in Midtown Manhattan.
According to the journalist’s account, he was present in an official press capacity when Charles allegedly confronted him, grabbed his phone, shoved him, and issued repeated threats.
The altercation escalated when an unidentified individual reportedly took the phone from the journalist’s hand and threw it to the ground, causing significant damage.
The journalist stated that while he was filming the scene, Charles struck the phone out of his hand without provocation, initiating the physical confrontation.
Witnesses and responding NYPD officers reportedly intervened multiple times to separate the group from the journalist.
The reporter described the encounter as aggressive and chaotic, stating he feared for his safety as he was pushed, surrounded, and yelled at.
The incident occurred as tensions ran high following the shooting of 29-year-old NFL cornerback Kris Boyd, who was critically wounded outside a popular Manhattan venue around 2:00 a.m. Sunday.
Boyd sustained two gunshot wounds to the abdomen while standing on 38th Street. According to police, two luxury vehicles fled the scene immediately after the shooting.
Boyd was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where he was initially listed in critical but stable condition and was reportedly slipping in and out of consciousness.
No additional official updates have been released regarding his medical status.
Boyd’s longtime friend and former University of Texas colleague, Ernest Quander, told reporters he remains optimistic about the player’s recovery.
“He’s doing good. He’s strong — a fighter,” Quander said before boarding a flight to New York. “He’s been through tough times before. He’ll get through this.”
Boyd, who signed with the Jets in March, has been on injured reserve due to a shoulder injury and has not yet appeared in a game this season.
His NFL career includes time with the Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, and Houston Texans.
The New York Jets confirmed awareness of the shooting but declined further comment, citing the ongoing investigation.
At this time, it is unclear whether NYPD will pursue charges related to the alleged assault on the journalist.
The police investigation into both the shooting and the reported altercation remains active.
Further information will be released as it becomes available.