According to police, just after noon the Massac County Sheriff's Department received a call requesting a welfare check for a suicidal man threatening to shoot himself at a rural Massac County home. Officers were initially unable to locate the man, identified as 63-year-old Donald J. Hicks of Massac County.
Just after 1:00 pm a caller reported a man with a gun at the Pell Cemetery near Brookport. Officers from the Brookport Police Department, Massac County Sheriff's Department, and Illinois State Police located the man in his vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. Hicks reportedly refused to stop and continued to the intersection of Illinois Route 145 and Waldo Church Road.
The Metropolis Police Department deployed stop sticks and were able to stop the vehicle, but Hicks was still armed with a handgun. Police said Hicks refused to drop the gun after being given verbal commands by officers. Two Metropolis officers deployed their tasers, which police said were ineffective.
One Metropolis officer fired his weapon, fatally wounding Hicks after police said he pointed his gun at officers.
.jpg)
.jpg)