O’FALLON, Ill. (WTVO) — A man shot and killed himself on Sunday after exchanging gunfire with Illinois police during a traffic stop, according to police.
Officers initiated a high-risk traffic stop in the parking lot of O’Fallon Plaza around 11:42 a.m., the O’Fallon Police Department said. The man reportedly stopped and exited his car, firing multiple rounds at the officers from a handgun.
The suspect was wanted on felony charges out of St. Louis, according to KSDK.
The man fled the scene, running about 100 yards to a nearby gas station. That is where officers found him with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
He was airlifted to the hospital, where state police said he was later pronounced dead.
“I heard sirens, and the first couple of sirens went by and I didn’t think much of it. But after about the third, fourth siren, I came out and looked and a couple more went by—a total altogether of seven police cars and then two ambulance,” said Marsha Gibbs, who lives close to the scene.
Gibbs added that the incident is unusual for the area.
“It’s pretty quiet around here, other than regular street traffic. Stuff like that just doesn’t happen in this area,” Gibbs said.
The intersection of Highway 50 and Old Collinsville Road was closed to traffic while police investigated. It has since been reopened.