Police chase ends with gunfire, suspect and K9 killed in Kane County
BATAVIA, Ill. (CBS) – A carjacking led to a police chase, crash and gunfire that killed both the suspect and a Kane County police K9 near the border of Geneva and Batavia.
The sequence of events ended with a car crash that shut down the intersection at Fabyan Parkway and Randall Road late Wednesday afternoon.
Chopper 2 was over the scene where several emergency vehicles responded. Multiple ambulances were also visible as well as an armored vehicle.
The Kane County Sheriff's Office said the crash started as a carjacking of a Honda Accord in Aurora. A license plate reader picked up the car in Elgin. Officers tried unsuccessfully to pull the driver over, but that led to a police chase.
The chase ended with a crash at the intersection of Fabyan and Randall around 2 p.m.
Sheriff's police said the driver got out of the stolen car with a handgun. The K9 was released and bit into the suspect. Officers exchanged shots in the middle of the intersection. The offender was killed.
Police said a K9 from Kane County was also killed.
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"I was thinking, maybe I should get down, but I didn't," said Matt Jurewicz, who witnessed the crash and subsequent shootout. "I just couldn't take my eyes off of what I was seeing.
Jurewicz works nearby and came outside after he heard the crash, and then gunshots.
"Next thing I know, officers are surrounding the vehicle at which point, I hear double-digit bullets," he said.
Both the suspect and the K9 died at the scene.
The K9 deputy was named "Hudson" and was a Dutch Shepherd who served the department for several years.
No bystanders were injured.
The Kane County Sheriff's Office said Hudson's handler and the entire department are devastated.
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"He was an absolute hero today and so are the deputies that brought this to a successful close without injury to any innocent civilians," said Sheriff Ron Hain.
Per protocol, three Kane County sheriff's deputies were taken to local hospitals to be checked out. CBS 2 was told they were not injured.