Illinois Officer Fatally Shoots Armed Security Who Was Protecting Patrons From Gunman

A man who was working as security is now dead after a police officer fatally shot him early on Sunday.

Around 4 a.m. on Sunday (Nov. 11), 26-year-old #JemelRoberson was working security at Manny’s Blue Room Lounge, at 2911 S. Claire Blvd., when witnesses said a fight broke out, and someone started shooting.

When Midlothian police and the Cook County Sheriff’s officials arrived to the scene, a police officer ended up shooting Roberson after seeing he was armed without knowledge of him being a security guard. The officer shot Roberson while he was holding down the actual gunman who was responsible for the shooting. Now family and friends believe police mistook him for someone else and wrongly killed the young man.

“We’re still processing. To be on the job, saving lives – again, which is what he loves to do, just to help people – and then to lose his life, in essence doing what he wanted to do, is just complete devastation,” said pastor and family friend LeAundre Hill. Investigators have not said whether police gave Roberson any verbal commands. Roberson was pronounced dead at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.

The gunman and four others were harmed. Midlothian Police have declined to comment on the incident. The Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force was investigating the shooting, according to CBS. However, the officer involved has been out on administrative leave. “The officer, per standard protocol, is on paid administrative leave during this investigation,” Midlothian Police Chief Daniel Delaney stated in an email.

Roberson’s mother has filed a lawsuit against the police officer who shot her son.