BLOOMINGTON, IL - New video footage released by the Illinois State Police has accompanied a determination by the McLean County state's attorney that Bloomington police officers were legally justified in a fatal Feb. 25 shooting that followed a 10-minute standoff with a 15-year-old. The teen identified as Cole Turner was armed with a Sig Sauer P365 Air Pistol, a realistic-looking BB gun.
The officers reportedly engaged Turner, attempting to de-escalate the situation for approximately 10 minutes. Footage from two angles of the incident showed Turner talking to the officers while holding what appears to be a realistic-looking gun, which officers later recovered from the apartment building where the confrontation occurred. Investigators told WGLT that it was purchased just two days before.
In a press release at the time, the Bloomington Police Department (BPD) wrote that they were summoned for an armed subject call and that “As the call for service progressed, the officer(s) fired their duty weapon(s) and the subject was struck. Life-saving measures were attempted at the scene. The subject was pronounced deceased at the scene by the McLean County Coroner's Office.”
Following an investigation concluded by the Illinois State Police, State's Attorney Erika Reynolds issued a 13-page preliminary report cited by WGLT, which read in part, “It is our unequivocal opinion that the Bloomington Police Department officers were legally justified in their use of deadly force against (Turner). The officers held the reasonable belief that the subject was armed with a firearm and was willing to use that firearm against the officers. The fact that the weapon was later determined to be an air pistol [BB gun] does not change the reasonableness of their belief.”
The officers responding reported that the incident was sparked by a report from two people walking a dog who told police that a young man, allegedly Turner, showed one of them a gun tucked into his waistband. When officers arrived at 4:45 p.m., Turner fled.
The officers tracked Turner behind an apartment building and from there spoke to the police standing off at a distance from between two parked cars for 10 minutes. In the video, he can be heard telling the police that he was on “probation” and that he was “not going back to jail.”
The officers pleaded with him, saying things like, “We don’t want to hurt you. Why are you doing this? What is upsetting you? We’ll work through the trouble stuff. You’re gonna end up getting shot, and that’s a lot worse than jail, I promise you.”
As the officers continued to attempt to talk the 15-year-old down, he grew agitated. You’re gonna get shot if you don’t drop that gun,” an officer is heard saying. Turner appeared to respond, “Oh, for real?” The officer replied, “Yes,” followed by a burst of gunfire.
According to prosecutors, and confirmed by Bloomington Police Chief Jamal Simingtonon on Tuesday, Turner “chose to raise his weapon and point it at the officers.” Five responding officers opened fire, and Turner was struck three times. He died at the scene.
The officers reportedly engaged Turner, attempting to de-escalate the situation for approximately 10 minutes. Footage from two angles of the incident showed Turner talking to the officers while holding what appears to be a realistic-looking gun, which officers later recovered from the apartment building where the confrontation occurred. Investigators told WGLT that it was purchased just two days before.
Officer Involved Shootinghttps://t.co/8uc7blhbvZ pic.twitter.com/xRZlDLskbb
— Bloomington Police (@cityblmPD) February 26, 2025
In a press release at the time, the Bloomington Police Department (BPD) wrote that they were summoned for an armed subject call and that “As the call for service progressed, the officer(s) fired their duty weapon(s) and the subject was struck. Life-saving measures were attempted at the scene. The subject was pronounced deceased at the scene by the McLean County Coroner's Office.”
Following an investigation concluded by the Illinois State Police, State's Attorney Erika Reynolds issued a 13-page preliminary report cited by WGLT, which read in part, “It is our unequivocal opinion that the Bloomington Police Department officers were legally justified in their use of deadly force against (Turner). The officers held the reasonable belief that the subject was armed with a firearm and was willing to use that firearm against the officers. The fact that the weapon was later determined to be an air pistol [BB gun] does not change the reasonableness of their belief.”
The officers responding reported that the incident was sparked by a report from two people walking a dog who told police that a young man, allegedly Turner, showed one of them a gun tucked into his waistband. When officers arrived at 4:45 p.m., Turner fled.
The officers tracked Turner behind an apartment building and from there spoke to the police standing off at a distance from between two parked cars for 10 minutes. In the video, he can be heard telling the police that he was on “probation” and that he was “not going back to jail.”
The officers pleaded with him, saying things like, “We don’t want to hurt you. Why are you doing this? What is upsetting you? We’ll work through the trouble stuff. You’re gonna end up getting shot, and that’s a lot worse than jail, I promise you.”
As the officers continued to attempt to talk the 15-year-old down, he grew agitated. You’re gonna get shot if you don’t drop that gun,” an officer is heard saying. Turner appeared to respond, “Oh, for real?” The officer replied, “Yes,” followed by a burst of gunfire.
According to prosecutors, and confirmed by Bloomington Police Chief Jamal Simingtonon on Tuesday, Turner “chose to raise his weapon and point it at the officers.” Five responding officers opened fire, and Turner was struck three times. He died at the scene.
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