A Vermilion County Sheriff’s Deputy and an inmate were undergoing treatment at OSF Medical Center today (Friday, Aug. 23, 2019) following a stabbing and shooting at the courthouse. Vermilion County Sheriff Pat Hartshorn says a deputy was in the jail holding area of the courthouse when the inmate started stabbing the deputy in the face. The deputy then shot the prisoner.
Bill Cannon of Hoopeston (in photo) says he was right outside the Sheriff’s holding area when the incident occurred…
{”I was standing at that little doorway that goes back to the holding cells, and was reading a sheet on the wall and I heard bam! bam! bam! – three shots. I thought someone was beating on a table in that little room,” said Cannon, ”so I walked in that little room and looked around and there wasn’t nobody in there. And here come deputies with guns drawn, telling me to get out of the way.” Cannon says he was told to get in a courtroom and then was told he could not leave that room.
Alaina Allee, who works at the courthouse, says her supervisor received a phone call about what was happening downstairs and Allee then huddled under a desk. Outside the courthouse, Allee’s mother – Stacey Black – gave her daughter an emotional hug after finding her safe. Black (with back to camera in photo) said she was driving down the road when she heard about the incident on the radio…then rushed to make sure her daughter was alright.
Vermilion County Sheriff Pat Hartshorn confirmed that an inmate had attacked an officer, stabbing the officer in the face. The Sheriff said the officer then fired his weapon at the assailant. The Sheriff added that both the victims had been transported to the hospital for treatment. Their names were not released and no information was immediately available on their conditions.
Danville Police Chief Chris Yates was among a large contingent of officers who responded to the scene. Yates told VermilionCountyFirst.com News that Illinois State Police have been called in to handle the investigation. Late this morning the courthouse remained closed.
About a dozen squad cars ring the front of the Vermilion County courthouse Friday morning after a call of ‘shots fired’. You can click on the photos to enlarge them.
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This story by Neuhoff Media Danville News Director Bill Pickett. Got a news tip? You can reach Bill at 217-709-1245 or Billpickett@neuhoffmedia.com.
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