Rockford police: Officers shot man with knife
ROCKFORD (AP) — Rockford police are now saying a man fatally wounded by officers did not use a child as shield as he allegedly charged them while waving a knife.
Four Rockford police officers shot and killed 31-year-old Demetrius Bennett on Thursday after a fifth officer sprayed him in the face with pepper spray.
Authorities say police were summoned to a domestic dispute and were confronted by Bennett. They say an officer attempted to subdue Bennett with pepper spray before he charged and was shot.
Originally, authorities said Bennett was holding one of his two children. Police Chief Chet Epperson on Friday retracted the assertion. Epperson did not say what led them to make the assertion.
Authorities say the children, a 5-year-old and a 17-month-old, were removed from the home by their mother.
