Officers Justified In April Shooting: Kane Co. State's Attorney

ST. CHARLES, IL — Almost seven months after a shooting involving St. Charles police officers and a young man on Voltaire Lane, the Kane County State's Attorney's Office has reviewed the Illinois State Police's investigation into the use of force by one of the officers in the incident, determining the use of force was justified. According to the Kane County State's Attorney's office, Attorney Joe McMahon asked the ISP to do an independent investigation into the use of force as the Police and Community Relations Improvement Act requires one for all officer-involved deaths, even though no one died in this case.

According to the state's attorney's office, the action was found justified due to reasonable belief that the officers thought it was necessary to use force intended to cause death or bodily harm, in an effort to prevent death or harm to the officers. Officials said Attorney McMahon was able to come to the conclusion after applying the laws relevant to the facts in the investigation.

Police said authorities were called to 3400 block of Voltaire Lane just after noon on April 26, when Christopher C. Kemble, 20, of St. Charles reported that someone had broken into his home and he believed the intruder had a gun. Following an investigation, authorities learned that Kemble was responsible for placing the 911 call alleging there was an intruder in his home, which is a story authorities later learned he made up, according to the news release. The state's attorney's office said moments later someone else called 911 to report that Kemble had his father’s gun and might be suicidal.

Two St. Charles officers responded and found Kemble outside on Voltaire Lane before two more St. Charles officers arrived, officials said. Officers saw Kemble pull a handgun from behind his back, rack the slide, shout threats at the officers and move towards one of them with his gun pointed, which was later determined to be a BB gun, the state's attorney's office said.

RELATED: More Details Released In St. Charles Officer-Involved Shooting

Officers shot at Kemble, injuring him, however no officers were hurt.

Patch reported officials said the officers involved were taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure and were placed on administrative leave as the incident was under investigation.

The state's attorney's office said a criminal case against Kemble is pending, as he's charged with making a false complaint to 911 and aggravated assault of a police officer, both felonies.

His next court appearance is set for 9 a.m. Dec. 7 at the Kane County Judicial Center, according to the state's attorney's office.

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