The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has concluded its investigation into the death of 20-year-old Carrion Holmes of Mt. Vernon, which occurred on January 8th. Sheriff Jeff Bullard announced the findings, which involved a collaboration between the Illinois State Police Division of Criminal Investigations, the sheriff’s office, the Jefferson County Coroner’s office, and a review by State’s Attorney Sean Featherstun.
In a video shared on the sheriff’s office Facebook page, Sheriff Bullard detailed the incident. A deputy responded to a report of a stolen vehicle found in a ditch in the Richview Road area and encountered Holmes in the roadway. The deputy attempted to take Holmes into custody using verbal commands while his gun was drawn, but Holmes did not comply and was unarmed.
Switching to his taser, the deputy continued to issue commands. Holmes attempted to flee on foot, prompting the deputy to deploy the taser, which proved ineffective. The deputy briefly pursued and tackled Holmes, resulting in both of them falling onto the icy ground.
During the struggle, Holmes managed to access the deputy’s firearm. As the confrontation continued, the gun discharged three times, with the final shot striking Holmes on the left side of his head at close range. The deputy then returned to his vehicle to request backup and medical assistance. Despite efforts from arriving deputies to provide first aid, Holmes did not survive.
The investigation concluded that Holmes died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following his resistance to arrest and the disarming of the deputy. It was determined that the deputy acted within the lawful scope of his duties, and he has since returned to work. The sheriff expressed gratitude that the deputy emerged from the incident without serious injury.
Although a body camera recorded the event, the footage will not be released due to a family member’s request on social media. The Illinois State Police also possess a copy of the recording but has policies regarding its potential release.
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