Machete, shotgun-wielding man shot by officers after stealing a Macon County Sheriff’s squad car

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Macon, IL - Oscar McCurry Jr. has since been identified as the person who, on May 3, was armed with a knife when Decatur Police confronted him in a gas station parking lot. McCurry allegedly ran from officers, stole a Macon County Sheriff’s squad car, rammed a Decatur Park Police squad car and pointed a police-issued shotgun at officers, prompting them to open fire on him.

After being hospitalized, McCurry was booked into the Macon County Jail over the weekend on preliminary charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery to a peace officer and unlawful possession of a firearm. On Monday, he made an initial appearance in court and was arraigned on the following formal felony counts:

* Aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon
* Felon in possession of a weapon
* Aggravated battery/use of a deadly weapon
* Aggravated battery to a peace officer
* Possession of a stolen vehicle
* Possession of a stolen firearm

A sworn statement filed in the case, signed by Sheriff’s Sergeant David Pittenger, also revealed new details about the confrontation with McCurry and their attempts to negotiate with him.

Deputies responded to the P&V gas station in Macon on May 3 in reference to a person with a machete who had crashed their car into a semi-truck. Pittenger said McCurry, whose machete was still in a sheath, told deputies he believed his daughter was being held inside the cab of the semi and was being sexually assaulted, which is why he crashed his car into the semi.

The owner of the semi allowed deputies into the cab, and they found no one inside. Pittenger said this information still wasn’t enough to convince McCurry his children weren’t in danger.

A deputy called McCurry’s girlfriend to get him to calm down, but right as a deputy got off the phone with her, McCurry ran from the gas station and into the middle of U.S. Route 51. A deputy maneuvered their squad car onto the southbound lanes of the highway to block traffic at Andrews Road.

Pittenger said McCurry had unsheathed his machete and was standing in front of the squad car that had blocked traffic; the deputy inside quickly got out to put distance between him and McCurry. McCurry, who made suicidal statements, refused to put the machete down despite numerous commands to do so.

“A short time later, Oscar opened the driver’s side door of the deputy’s vehicle,” Pittenger said. “Deputies observed Oscar then get into MSO squad car MC25 and drive away at a high rate of speed.”

Pittenger said McCurry didn’t get far, initially driving around in circles before driving west on Andrews Street and north on Wall Street. However, he aimed MC25 at multiple other squad cars, forcing the deputies driving them to take evasive action. One of those squad cars ended up in a roadside ditch.

McCurry’s ride came to an end when he rammed a Decatur Park Police car on Wall Street a quarter mile south of Route 51, disabling MC25 and the Decatur Park Police car. But while the ride was still happening, McCurry got his hands on the department-issued shotgun inside, which Pittenger said McCurry was holding as he exited the squad car.

“Oscar ignored all commands given by deputies [to drop the shotgun], at which time deputies fired their department-issued weapons at Oscar,” Pittenger said. “At that time, Oscar dropped the shotgun but retrieved a knife from his pocket while still standing in the roadway.”

McCurry again refused demands to drop the knife, but Pittenger said he was taken into custody a short time later. Having been shot during the incident, McCurry was initially transported to Decatur Memorial Hospital for treatment of the gunshot wounds and then to a hospital in Springfield for injuries sustained in the crash.

The Decatur Park Police officer who was hurt in the collision with MC25 was also taken to Decatur Memorial. He is expected to be okay.

A week after the incident, a visibly injured McCurry was booked into the Macon County Jail. A check into his criminal history revealed that McCurry has a prior felony burglary conviction out of Oregon.

In court on Monday, Judge Lindsey Shelton found that pretrial detention was necessary for McCurry and ordered him to remain in custody as his court case continues.