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.
"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.
"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.
