Coroner releases identity of man shot, killed during exchange of gunfire with Rock Island police

Update: An armed man killed in a police-involved shooting Friday night has been identified.

Akbar M. Eaddy, 27, of Rock Island, was killed by gunfire late Friday, Rock Island Coroner Brian Gustafson said Sunday.

Previous update: The Rock Island County Integrity Task Force continues to investigate a police-involved death of a man late Friday in Rock Island.

Rock Island Coroner Brian Gustafson told Local 4 News an autopsy for the suspect will be conducted Monday.

No names of those involved have been released, but the task force updated details late Saturday in a news release:

Shortly after 11:45 p.m. Friday, police answered a 911 call about a domestic battery at a home in the area of 6th Avenue and 24th Street, Rock Island.

A man left the residence by vehicle with another man and a child.

Officers found the suspect vehicle nearby and began a traffic stop with it.
The driver – the suspect – at first yielded to the traffic stop, but then took off in his vehicle after officers tried to make an arrest for domestic battery.

The vehicle, with both men and the child, headed south from the traffic stop on 9th Avenue.

Officers spotted it again in the area of 13th Avenue between 21st and 22nd streets.

When police approached the vehicle, the driver ran away, and the other two occupants ran in an opposite direction.

A safety perimeter was being placed in the surrounding area when the man began firing at officers.

Police tried to apprehend the suspect. Multiple shots were exchanged throughout the neighborhood.

During the gunfire, the man was fatally wounded. At the scene, two different caliber firearms were recovered from the man.

No officers involved in the incident were hurt.

Police found the passenger and child uninjured near the suspect vehicle.

The incident was recorded on officers’ body cameras and several private-residence surveillance videos.

Evidence collection continued Saturday at various locations, and a neighborhood canvass was completed.

“All potential witnesses and officers involved are being interviewed as part of this investigation,” the news release says.

Shortly after 12:30 a.m. Saturday, Rock Island Police Department Chief Jeffrey VenHuizen requested activation of the Rock Island County Integrity Task Force.

“The Integrity Task Force will conduct a thorough and independent investigation which will include all video and reports collected from this incident which, at its conclusion, will be turned over to the Rock Island County State’s Attorney Dora Villarreal for review,” the release says. “It is extremely important that the public allow investigators time to gather information in order to answer questions and determine all the facts.”

Task-force investigators continued Saturday to conduct interviews, collect evidence and review videos, radio traffic, 911 calls and more.

The state’s attorney will make decisions about criminal charges once all the facts have been gathered.

“This process does take time to complete and we will update the public on the status of the investigation as it moves along,” the release says.

The task force includes members of the Illinois State Police; Moline, East Moline and Milan police departments; and Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office. No Rock Island police officers are participating in the task-force investigation.

Earlier:

While Rock Island police chased a suspect through a neighborhood late Friday, the armed suspect was shot and killed.

Shortly after 11:30 p.m. Friday, officers responded to the 2400 block of 6^th Avenue after receiving a 911 call of a battery in progress, which reportedly involved a male battering a female, a press release says.

The suspect left the scene in a vehicle, which then was stopped in the area of 24^th Street and 7^th Avenue. The driver initially slowed down, then took off, last seen southbound from 9^th Avenue.  At the time of the traffic stop, there were two men and a juvenile in the vehicle.

An officer searching the area saw the vehicle parked in the area of 22^nd and 23rd streets and 13th Avenue. The occupants took off on foot in different directions.

“Preliminary information” indicates a suspect fired upon arriving officers who were setting up a perimeter.  While they chased the suspect on foot through the neighborhood, they exchanged gunfire with the suspect multiple times.

The suspect, who had multiple firearms, was shot and died at the scene.  The four involved officers were not injured.  

The Rock Island County Integrity Task Force has been activated and will conduct the investigation into the shooting. The involved officers have been placed on administrative leave according to standard department protocol.

As of Saturday morning, the identity of the involved officers and that of the suspect are not being released.

Police ask anyone with information about the case to contact the Rock Island County Integrity Task Force at 309-752-4915, the Rock Island Police Department at 309-732-2677, or Crime-Stoppers at 309-762-9500.