A suspect is in custody after killing a McHenry County Deputy who was serving a warrant for his arrest Thursday morning.
Rockford Police responded to the Extended Stay America hotel at 747 N. Bell School Road around 9:15 a.m for a call to assist agents with the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force.
Police say shots were fired inside the hotel, and outside in the parking lot. At a press conference Thursday afternoon, authorities said that a McHenry County Deputy working with U.S. Marshals, was shot outside the hotel.
The McHenry County Sheriff has confirmed the death of Deputy Jake Keltner, saying:
“We regret to inform you that shortly after 3:30p.m. today Deputy Jacob Keltner has passed away.
Deputy Keltner was shot earlier this morning while attempting to serve an arrest warrant with the U.S. Marshalls Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force.
Deputy Keltner has served the community of McHenry for almost 13 years as a deputy.”
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker tweeted out his condolences for the slain deputy.
Authorities named 39-year-old Floyd E. Brown as a suspect.
Brown was wanted for a series of robberies in Bloomington.
Police say Brown, a resident of Springfield, was able to escape the police in Bloomington on Sunday.
Brown was said to be in possession of a rifle.
A 25-year-old female acquaintance of the suspect was found to be in the hotel room, suffering from a gunshot wound, which police say was fired by Brown.
Rockford Police say officers did not fire any rounds at the scene. The woman is said to have suffered a non-life threatening injury.
Brown escaped from a room on the third floor of the hotel and fled the scene.
Once information on Brown’s vehicle was transmitted to area law enforcement, an Illinois State Trooper spotted Brown near Bloomington.
Brown led officers on a high speed chase until he lost control of his car and crashed into a ravine on I-55 near mile marker 133.
There, Brown barricaded himself inside his car for hours until Illinois State Police were able to deploy flash bangs and take him into custody around 5 p.m.
Brown is being treated for injuries sustained in the crash, according to the Illinois State Police.
Brown is charged with First Degree Murder.
Statement from McHenry County Sheriff Bill Prim:
It is with great sadness I announce today the passing away of Deputy Sheriff Jacob Keltner, who was shot this morning in the line of duty and subsequently died in the hospital.
Other police agencies, federal, state and local, are at work on this investigation and authoritative information will come from them at the appropriate time, so I will not dwell on the circumstances that gave rise to his untimely death.
For those of us in the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, this is bitter news. Deputy Keltner was an integral part of our office, someone who had risen quickly to greater responsibilities after he was first sworn in in 2006. He was loved and respected by all his colleagues, and he will be sorely missed.
I would like to take this opportunity to note the overwhelming support our Office has received from law enforcement at the federal, state and local level. Other Sheriff’s Offices, such as Winnebago County and DuPage County, have stood by us as the tragic events of this morning unfolded, and throughout this afternoon, and I am sure they will continue to do so.
Further, I would like to commend the Rockford Police Department and the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office for their rapid and comprehensive responses in, first, handling a dangerous crime scene this morning, and then securing the area as the day went on. Their professionalism was truly outstanding. And we appreciate also the exceptional dedication of the Illinois State Police, who brought the offender into custody without further injury.
I have every confidence that the people of McHenry County will come together as a community to mourn this fine young man and support his family and colleagues through this difficult time.