One Officer Dead, Another Wounded in Illinois Attack

One officer was killed and another officer wounded when a man opened fire on them Wednesday morning in Champaign, Illinois.

WAND reports that 44-year-old Champaign police officer Chris Oberheim was shot and killed in response to a call for a “domestic disturbance.”

WIFR pointed out that Oberheim was killed during a “shootout” with the suspect and a second officer was wounded.

Champaign police chief Anthony Cobb released a statement following Oberheim’s death:

It is with great sadness and a heavy heart I announce Champaign Police Officer Chris Oberheim, 44, badge number 703, passed away due to injuries sustained while on-duty. Officer Oberheim was struck by gunfire while responding to a domestic disturbance. His only intention was to serve, protect and help provide care before he was senselessly fired upon and killed.

Oberheim was with the Decatur, Illinois, police department prior to working in Champaign, and Decatur PD also reacted to his death with a statement:

Breitbart News noted that two police officers were shot in an alley in Chicago Sunday morning around 7 a.m. One of the officers returned fire, wounding the alleged assailant.

Both officers were transported to a hospital for their injuries and were released later on Sunday morning.

Illinois requires would-be gun owners to get a Firearm Owners Identification (FOID) card before legally acquiring a firearm. The state also has a red flag law and a 72-hour waiting period on gun purchases, among other gun controls.

AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.