Waukegan officer shoots, kills man who police say charged at officers with knife and hammer, and gasoline can
WAUKEGAN, Ill. (CBS) -- An officer in Waukegan shot and killed a man Wednesday afternoon, after police said the man charged at the officer with several different weapons – and a gasoline can taped to his chest.
When officers arrived to the neighborhood, we are told the officer who later shot the man had been coming with his fire extinguisher to put out a burning fence the man had set on fire.
But as CBS 2's Jermont Terry reported, the man's mother said her son suffered from mental health problems and was horrified having witnessed what ended up happening.
There is a sense of panic in Waukegan when gunshots go off.
"It's a shame," said neighbor Stan Reyes. "It's something we worry about, because I've got grandkids coming down the streets. Thankfully, they were in school today."
Yet Reyes can't believe what played out right across the street on Wednesday afternoon. His neighbor's son was shot and killed by Waukegan police.
"It's hard to see this happen – especially with the neighbors; being my neighbor's son," Reyes said.
Diana Manjarrez was in the yard and witnessed police kill her son, Jesus Angel Manjarrez.
"That's my only son," she said.
Video shows Jesus Angel Manjarrez walking down the driveway. His mother is seen in the yard to the left, and at the bottom right, an officer is seen at the end of the drive.
It was Ms. Manjarrez who made the call to 911 for help.
The reason, she said, was "because he had two knives in his hands."
At 12:45 p.m. when police were called to the family's home in the 1000 block of Glen Court, Jesus Angel Manjarrez had already broken a neighbor's window – and had set a wooden fence and garage on fire.
Manjarrez had already broken a neighbor's window, and police said he had a chainsaw – and had set a wooden fence and a garage on fire.
Manjarrez's mother said her son was having a mental breakdown.
"He had duct tape in his head," Ms. Manjarrez said, "because like I said, he had problems – you know, mental problems – and he thought he was Rambo."
Waukegan police said when officers arrived, Manjarrez had a knife on a hammer on him. He also had a gasoline can taped to his chest, police said.
An officer had grabbed a fire extinguisher from a squad car to extinguish the burning fence, police said. The officer walked toward the fire, and Manjarrez charged at him with the knife and the hammer, police said.
The officer told Manjarrez to stop approaching, but he didn't – and the officer shot him, police said. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Video shows Manjarrez charging at the officer. We stopped it right before he goes down, but the shots can be heard.
"Police shot him three times," said Ms. Manjarrez. "They could have Tased him. They didn't have to shoot him."
Waukegan police said the officer feared for his safety, and that was why he shot.
Waukegan police do have to wear body cameras, and investigators are reviewing the footage.
Waukegan Police Chief Keith Zupec has asked Illinois State Police to investigate.