DIXON, IL - Ogle County Sheriff's Deputies intervened in a Wednesday standoff at a gated community home in Dixon that found a suspect, Jonathon Gounaris, experiencing suicidal/homicidal ideation barricaded in his home heavily armed and wearing body armor. Three officers and the suspect were shot and injured, and one officer was severely injured.
Local news outlet WTVO reported that Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle said in a press conference that a call was made to 911 by a member of Gounaris' family claiming he had threatened both them and himself. Shaw Local reported that the family member who spoke to 911 warned that the incident could be a “suicide-by-cop” situation, VanVickle said.
After lengthy negotiations and 50 attempted phone calls to de-escalate the situation, the Ogle County Emergency Response Team (ECRT) was deployed and arrived on the scene. Negotiations lasted over an hour according to a statement from the OCSO posted to X.
The Sheriff told reporters that Gounaris was armed with multiple firearms, a fixed-blade knife, pepper spray, and ballistic armor.
According to VanVickle's statement, two officers shot in the vest and arm were transported to an area hospital, treated, and released. A third officer was flown by medevac to a hospital in Rockford approximately forty miles away to undergo emergency surgery after being shot in the face.
“This was a really, really bad situation,” VanVickle said, emphasizing that because the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office is a small rural agency, “we used all the resources we had today.”
VanVickle informed reporters that at his request the Illinois State Police are taking over the investigation of the officer-involved shooting. Charges against Gounaris are pending from the Ogle County State's Attorney's Office as of this report.
Local news outlet WTVO reported that Ogle County Sheriff Brian VanVickle said in a press conference that a call was made to 911 by a member of Gounaris' family claiming he had threatened both them and himself. Shaw Local reported that the family member who spoke to 911 warned that the incident could be a “suicide-by-cop” situation, VanVickle said.
After lengthy negotiations and 50 attempted phone calls to de-escalate the situation, the Ogle County Emergency Response Team (ECRT) was deployed and arrived on the scene. Negotiations lasted over an hour according to a statement from the OCSO posted to X.
— Ogle County Sheriff (@OgleCoSheriff) June 13, 2024At 11:51 a.m. the decision was made to breach the residence and neutralize Gounaris. “At 11:51, due to the lack of communication, it was determined that our emergency response team would enter the house and determine the wellbeing of that individual. Immediately upon entering the house, our deputies received fire,” VanVickle explained. Three officers returned fire, striking the suspect and incapacitating him.
The Sheriff told reporters that Gounaris was armed with multiple firearms, a fixed-blade knife, pepper spray, and ballistic armor.
According to VanVickle's statement, two officers shot in the vest and arm were transported to an area hospital, treated, and released. A third officer was flown by medevac to a hospital in Rockford approximately forty miles away to undergo emergency surgery after being shot in the face.
“This was a really, really bad situation,” VanVickle said, emphasizing that because the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office is a small rural agency, “we used all the resources we had today.”
VanVickle informed reporters that at his request the Illinois State Police are taking over the investigation of the officer-involved shooting. Charges against Gounaris are pending from the Ogle County State's Attorney's Office as of this report.
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