Illinois deputy gunned down while responding to call, becomes 5th officer fatally shot nationwide in last 8 days
An Illinois sheriff's department is mourning the loss of a deputy who was shot to death Tuesday afternoon -- the fifth law enforcement officer killed in just eight days across the country.
Fulton County Sheriff's deputy Troy Chisum, 39, was responding to a battery and disturbance call at a rural home in Avon, which is about an hour west of Peoria, when he was shot by a suspect inside the home, authorities said.
The 42-year-old suspect barricaded himself in a home for hours after the shooting.
On Wednesday afternoon, authorities identified the suspect as Nathan Woodring. He was taken into custody Wednesday morning and will be taken to jail to be held pending formal charges, authorities said.
Chisum had worked for the Fulton County Sheriff's Office for 4 1/2 years and was also a paramedic with Fulton County EMA.
Fulton County Sheriff Jeff Standard, overcome with emotion, said at a news conference on Wednesday, "I stand before you today saddened and at a loss of adequate words to express the grief we are feeling over the loss of one of our own."
"Deputy Chisum dedicated his life to the service of his community," Standard said in a statement. "His legacy and sacrifice will forever be remembered."
Hundreds of officers saluted as Chisum's body was driven to OSF Healthcare Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria Tuesday.
Chisum is the fifth officer shot and killed in just over a week across the United States.
Officer John David Hetland, of the Racine, Wisconsin, Police Department, was shot and killed on June 17 while he was off-duty, but sprang into action when he was a man robbing a bar. The 24-year veteran was shot and killed, while the suspect managed to escape.
Tara O'Sullivan, a Sacramento Police Department officer, was gunned down while responding to a domestic violence situation on June 19. The 26-year-old had been a part of the force for just six months.
Cpl. Jose Espericueta of the Mission, Texas, Police Department was shot and killed on Thursday, authorities said. The 13-year veteran, nicknamed "Speedy," was married with two children. He was killed after a woman waved him down and said her son was shooting at her car. He then opened fire on Espericueta as he fled the scene, according to police.
Michael Langsdorf from the North County Police Cooperative was killed "execution"-style in Wellston, Missouri, on Sunday. The 40-year-old was shot in the back of the neck while lying face down on the ground after struggling with a man who had allegedly tried to cash a bad check at a grocery store.
Chisum is the 26th police officer fatally shot in 2019, and the fifth killed in June. Five officers were also fatally shot in January, February and May.
ABC News' Jessica Zellermayer contributed to this report.
