This is a report of a masked man being shot as he threatened a law enforcement officer in Zion:

Officer-Involved Shooting-March 29, 2018 United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General

On March 29, 2018, a Special Agent with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development was involved in a shooting in Zion, Illinois.

After the incident, a request was made for the Illinois State Police to assume this investigation. The Illinois State Police deployed a team of investigators to undertake that responsibility.

The Illinois State Police then performed the following tasks:

• Interviewed all witnesses to determine what occurred prior to, during, and after the shooting.
• Photographed the scene
• Recovered all physical evidence
• Reviewed the autopsy report and findings

The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office has reviewed all of this information and the applicable laws regarding a police officer’s use of deadly force.

This informational release will outline the evidence in this case so that our Lake County Community is fully apprised of what occurred in the early morning hours of March 29, 2018.

Special Agent Andrea Warne Statement

Andrea Warne is a Special Agent with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General. She has been with that department for 10 years.

On March 29, 2018, Special Agent Warne left Chicago at 3:30 a.m. She proceeded to Zion, Illinois. She was assisting three fellow agents in the search for a woman who was believed to be in the area of 3002 Ezekiel Avenue. That woman was wanted on an arrest warrant for the repeated rape of a child.

Special Agent Warne was driving a dark gray 2016 Chrysler 200 government-owned automobile. The car did not have any police markings, emergency lights, sirens, or tinted windows. The car had a regular Illinois passenger license plate. Special Agent Warne was wearing black pants and a long sleeve shirt over a black half zip long sleeve shirt.

Special Agent Warne was wearing a body armor vest carrier. This carrier had the word “Police” across the chest and the words “Police Federal Agent” on the back. Special Agent Warne wore a duty belt that was equipped with a badge, a department-owned Sig Sauer P229 on her right side, spare magazines, and handcuffs.

At approximately 5:44 a.m., Special Agent Warne was positioned on 30th Street east of an alley and parked her car while maintaining view of the wanted subject’s residence. The area was dark with the only illumination coming from a porch light from a residence located behind her. Her fellow officers were in separate vehicles parked in different areas near Ezekiel Avenue. Special Agent Warne was not aware of their exact locations.

At approximately 6:00 a.m., Special Agent Warne remained alone in her car maintaining surveillance of the wanted subjects’ home. Suddenly, she heard a “knock” on the driver’s side window. Before she looked, she thought it might be one of her partners. When she looked to her left, she saw a masked man (later identified as Dishon McBride). Mr. McBride had a tan/light brown bandana covering his face. Special Agent Warne could only see his eyes. Mr. McBride was knocking on the window with the front barrel of a gun. The gun was silver with a brown or black lower portion. Special Agent Warne could see that it appeared to be a semi-automatic hand gun. The gun was being held in McBride’s right hand and was being pointed directly at Special Agent Warne’s head and face. Mr. McBride said something to Special Agent Warne but she was unable to hear what he said. As the gun was pointed directly at her face, Special Agent Warne saw a second person between the driver’s headrest and the pillar separating the front and rear doors. As the barrel of the gun remained inches from her head and believing that she was about to be shot in the head, Special Agent Warne took steps to defend herself.

Special Agent Warne reached for her duty weapon. With a two-handed grip, she pointed the gun directly at Mr. McBride. She fired one round at him through the driver’s door window. She immediately saw Mr. McBride fall to the ground. She saw the second person run to the back of the car and flee. Special Agent Warne turned on the head lights of her car and made two long honks with the horn. She then grabbed her radio and said, “Shots Fired.”

Special Agent Warne cautiously got out of the car. She kept her duty weapon in her right hand. She observed Mr. McBride on the ground with his left hand on his chest. She stated “Police, don’t move.” McBride’s gun was approximately one foot from his body. Special Agent Warne walked backwards away from him in order to create some distance for the sake of safety.

Within 15-20 seconds, her fellow officers arrived. Special Agent Warne was instructed to get behind one of the cars for protection. “911” was notified. Paramedics arrived and assumed resuscitation efforts.

Shortly thereafter, Special Agent Warne’s duty weapon, duty belt, and clothing were secured and maintained as evidence in the investigation.

Special Agent Kevin Maher Statement

Special Agent Maher stated on March 29, 2018 at 6:00 a.m. that he was conducting a surveillance of 3002 Ezekiel Avenue to locate and arrest a woman wanted for repeated sexual assault of a child. He was working with Special Agents Andrea Warne, Mack Walker, and Thomas Hoffman. The officers were communicating by radio. However, the radio traffic was not recorded. None of the vehicles were equipped for video and none of the agents were wearing body cameras.

Special Agent Maher states that all of his fellow agents were stationed at various vantage points in the vicinity of 3002 Ezekiel Avenue. It was dark outside. Suddenly he heard Special Agent Warne broadcast “Shots Fired!” Special Agent Maher and his fellow agents responded to her location. Special Agent Warne was standing on the grass parkway at the right front corner of her vehicle. Special Agent Maher called “911” and advised the dispatcher that an officer-involved shooting had occurred. Special Agent Maher checked Special Agent Warne to see if she had been shot. He saw no injuries on her body. He then took Special Agent Warne’s Sig Sauer P229 and locked it in his car. He stated that Warne had de-cocked the lever after she had fired it. He stated all agents are trained to immediately de-cock their guns before holstering them. Special Agent Maher stated that he did not see the shooting occur. He did state that he observed a silver pistol with a wooden-color grip on the ground under Warne’s car. During later inspection, it was determined that the weapon was a replica semi-automatic handgun.

Special Agent Mack Walker Statement

Special Agent Walker stated that he was on-duty at 6:00 a.m. on March 29, 2018. He stated that he was conducting a surveillance of the home located at 3002 Ezekiel Avenue in Zion, Illinois. He was working with fellow agents Andrea Warne, Kevin Maher, and Thomas Hoffman. Each agent was in a separate vehicle. Each agent was located in different locations in the area of 3002 Ezekiel Avenue. Special Agent Walker states that each agent had a hand-held radio for communication with the other officers.

Special Agent Walker said that, during the surveillance, he heard an unknown noise. Then he heard a radio communication from Special Agent Warne stating “Shots Fired. I need help.” Special Agent Walker immediately drove to Warne’s location. He saw glass on the ground and a person on the pavement next to Special Agent Warne’s car. A gun was near the body. A Zion Police Officer, just having arrived at the scene, kicked the individual’s gun under the car since it was too close to that person’s body. Special Agent Walker noted that the man on the ground had a bandana covering the lower portion of his face. Zion Police Officer’s began chest compressions on the man’s body. EMS Technicians then arrived to aid the man with the bandana.

Later Special Agent Walker accompanied Special Agent Warne in an ambulance to the hospital.

Special Agent Thomas Hoffman Statement

Special Agent Hoffman was on a surveillance detail in the early morning hours of March 29, 2018. He was performing this duty with Special Agents, Andrea Warne, Mack Walker, and Kevin Maher. Each agent was in their own vehicle. Each agent was conducting surveillance from different locations in the vicinity of 3002 Ezekiel Avenue, Zion, Illinois. Each officer was equipped with their own hand-held radio.

At approximately 6:00 a.m., Special Agent Hoffman heard a car horn honk two to three times. Special Agent Warne then broadcast “Shots Fired!” Special Agent Warne followed up with words to the effect of “Officer-Involved Shooting.”

Special Agent Hoffman immediately responded to Warne’s location. Hoffman Illuminated the area with his flashlight. A man with a bandana covering his face was on the ground. A silver semi-automatic pistol was on the ground between the man and the car tire. Shattered glass was on the pavement. A Zion Police Officer kicked the gun away from the man on the ground.

CPR efforts were initiated in an attempt to aid the man on the ground. Ambulances then arrived to transport the man and Special Agent Warne to the hospital.

Lake County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit Utilized

A Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy arrived on scene to help in tracking the three individuals who had been with Dishon McBride at the time of this shooting. A home video showed that, after the shooting, three people ran south away from the vehicle and then down an alleyway.

Several bystanders had walked in the alley before the canine could start its “track.” Several other citizens walked their dogs in the area as well. Due to all of this activity, the canine was unable to obtain a scent in order to track those other suspects.

Post-Mortem Examination

An autopsy was performed on the body of Dishon McBride on March 30, 2018. The examination indicated that Mr. McBride’s cause of death was one gunshot wound to his anterior base of the neck.

Toxicology Results

Marijuana:

Blood Delta-9 Carboxy THC Level=14 ng/ml
Blood Delta-9 THC Level=6.0 ng/ml

Conclusion

Based upon the facts gathered in this investigation and a review of the applicable Illinois Statutes, Special Agent Warne acted reasonably and appropriately.

Special Agent Warne was on duty and wearing a vest carrier with the word “Police” across the chest and “Police Federal Agent” on the back. She was parked on a public street conducting surveillance of a home located at 3002 Ezekiel Avenue. Her specific duty was to locate and arrest a woman wanted for the repeated sexual assault of a child.

While Special Agent Warne was carrying out her sworn duty to arrest this fugitive, Dishon McBride was formulating his plan to commit an armed robbery against a woman sitting by herself in an automobile. Of course, Mr. McBride was unaware that this woman was a Federal Special Agent with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Mr. McBride tied a bandana to his face to conceal his identity. He armed himself with a handgun. He then crawled on the ground along the driver’s side of Special Agent Warne’s car. Mr. McBride then stood up. He took the gun, tapped on the side window, and pointed the gun pointblank at Special Agent Warne’s head. A second man appeared with Mr. McBride. There was no time for her to flee. As the gun remained inches from her head, she believed that she was about to be shot directly in the head. She had only one recourse: To defend herself.

Special Agent Warne reached for her duty weapon and pointed the gun at Mr. McBride. She fired a single round. That round went through the window and struck Mr. McBride in the neck. He fell to the ground. Special Agent Warne then radioed that a shot had been fired, she got out of her car, went to a safe location, and waited for back-up agents. Special Agent Warne acted in an entirely professional manner. She only fired her weapon when she believed that her life was in danger.

In accordance with the new policy of my office with respect to officer involved shootings involving death, I am making the case file open and available to the public. Transparency is essential to promoting public trust. Please note that due to ethical, legal and privacy issues, not all of the case file can be made public and some of the reports that have been made public have been redacted. This file will be available on the State’s Attorney website to anyone who wishes to review the material.

I would like to express my condolences to the family of Dishon McBride. I would also like to acknowledge the Illinois State Police for its expertise, dedication, and thoroughness. I would like to commend the professionalism exhibited by Special Agent Warne during these trying circumstances. And lastly, my thanks to the Citizens of Zion for their patience and cooperation in this matter.

-Lake County State’s Attorney Michael G. Nerheim