March 26, 2024 – The Decatur Police Department released portions of the body-worn cameras and in-car video from the officers involved in the shooting incident that occurred on March 18, 2024.
During a press conference and Decatur Police Headquarters, Decatur Police Chief Shane Brandel provided further information about the shooting, including the names of the officers involved. They have been identified as Officer Dawson Roberts, a 2-year veteran of DPD Officer and Tanner Brummitt, also a 2-year veteran of DPD.
Late last week the suspect was identified as 38-year-old Rocky Dupin of Decatur. Dupin was pronounced dead after being transported to Decatur Memorial Hospital following the shooting. The preliminary autopsy results indicate that Dupin died as the result of multiple gunshot trauma to the torso and extremities.
On March 18th, officers responded to an armed robbery at Decatur Discount on W. Grand at around 2:15 pm. Released footage of the robbery shows Dupin entering the store and requesting something from the clerk. Though the video does not have audio, the clerk stated that Dupin asked for a glass pipe. When the clerk told Dupin the total of the item, Dupin pulled the weapon.
After the robbery, Officers Roberts and Brummitt spotted Dupin at the corner of Grand and Monroe walking with two other individuals who were uninvolved with the robbery.
In the released videos, officers can be seen ordering Dupin to the ground. Dupin initially begins to comply but then stands up despite warnings from the officers. Dupin is then seen struggling to unzip his Carhart jacket and then struggling to reach for something inside the jacket as the officers continue to shout warnings. Dupin eventually withdrew a weapon and the officers fired, striking him. Once Dupin was down, there was a moment in the footage where he shifted his body towards the officers and Officer Roberts fired once more.
The weapon has since been identified as a Corpsman 375 snub nose replica pellet gun. Unlike most pellet guns or BB guns on the market that feature an orange tip to identify them as replicas, this model is designed to intentionally look like a real 375 snub nose revolver.
Chief Shane Brandel said that Decatur Police had encounters with the Dupin since 2018, involving issues related to drug use and mental health.
“It’s important to note that we have viewed these videos in the comfort and safety of this room,” Brandel said during the press conference. “Others will watch it from the comfort and safety of their home. We are able to break this down frame by frame to critique it and ask questions. Those officers don’t have that luxury. They are faced with what they believe to be a subject armed with a firearm who disobeyed their commands to get on the ground…and then got up and pulled what they believed to be a gun. They were in an exposed position and in their mind, they fired their weapons to save their life.”
The shooting is still under investigation by the Illinois State Police, as is standard protocol with any officer-involved shooting. The officers are currently on paid administrative leave and will return to administrative duties next week until ISP concludes its investigation and there is a decision on justification by the state attorney.
“I wish this didn’t happen…for everyone….for everyone involved [in the shooting]. Brandel said. “One of the hardest things for me is to question why this happened and I don’t think we are ever going to know that. But our officers go out every day not knowing what they will face…not knowing if that next stop is going to be their last. They do that for one reason, and that’s to keep our community safe.”
The videos can be found on the Decatur Police Department website. *Warning: The videos contain graphic content.
