Illinois State Police release video in shooting of trooper; trooper, suspect hospitalized
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WISH) — An Illinois state trooper remains hospitalized after he was shot multiple times by a man during a traffic stop in Springfield in October.
The Illinois State Police released dashcam footage of the incident Tuesday.
Police say that around 10:47 p.m. Oct. 24, Trooper Dakotah Chapman-Green pulled over Cristobal Santana, 37, of Chicago in a 1600 block of Toronto Road in Springfield. That street is on the south side of the city.
During the stop, Santana is seen in the video firing at least 10 shots at Chapman-Green, hitting him several times. The release on Tuesday says that the trooper was struck repeatedly, “causing facial fractures, a skull fracture, and a brain bleed.”
Santana fled the scene, but was arrested around 2 a.m. on Oct. 25. He was taken to a hospital for injuries sustained during the arrest. He also remains hospitalized.
Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said in the release, “By the Grace of God, Trooper Chapman-Green survived this brutal attack. Police officers across the state take an oath to protect the lives of Illinois citizens and too often that means facing diabolical, hateful, vicious evil that no innocent human being should ever have to face. We live in a free country, but there is no freedom without the law, there is no law without law enforcement, and there is no law enforcement without brave souls like Trooper Chapman-Green and those standing here with me today willing to do this noble, but dangerous work.”
Santana is facing charges for two counts of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a firearm to a police officer, aggravated battery, and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.
Illinois State Police say they are continuing to gather information on the shooting.