Illinois State Police have concluded their investigation into the death of Anthony Martell, who police said shot himself in the head following a gunfire exchange with an Aurora police officer in early October on the city’s East Side.
While the case is still considered open, the state police investigation has been completed and was turned over to the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office, spokesman Master Sgt. Jason Bradley said in an email.
“We are currently waiting on the SA’s office to complete a review of the case file and announce their findings,” Bradley said.
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The state’s attorney’s office this week confirmed it had received the case. Until the state’s attorney makes an official ruling, Aurora police aren’t discussing the case, said Aurora Police Department spokesman Dan Ferrelli.
Martell’s cause of death was ruled a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, and a report made no note of other injuries, said a spokesperson for the DuPage County Coroner’s Office, which performed Martell’s autopsy Oct. 6.
Martell, 18, was the passenger in a 2003 Chevrolet Impala stopped by an Aurora police officer at 8:41 p.m. Oct. 4 near North Avenue and South Fourth Street, authorities previously told the Beacon-News.
The driver, a 36-year-old woman who police described as an acquaintance of Martell, fully cooperated with the initial investigation and was not charged, Aurora police previously said.
When the officer approached the car, the officer smelled marijuana coming from inside and asked Martell to step out, according to the initial news release from Aurora police.
The reason for the traffic stop itself was under investigation, Bradley said.
“Whether or not the traffic stop was legal, the state’s attorney will ultimately be able to decide,” Bradley said on the phone in October. “But at this point in the investigation, there is nothing to indicate it was not.”
The officer involved was 37 years old at the time, had been with the Aurora Police Department for nine years and is assigned to its community-oriented policing unit, according to Aurora police.
As the officer was talking with him, Martell ran away westbound on Fourth Street, and the officer ran after him, according to police.
During the chase, Martell allegedly turned and fired more than one shot at the officer, who returned fire, according to police.
Minutes later, responding officers found Martell apparently trying to get into a home on the 200 block of South LaSalle Street, according to police. When officers confronted Martell, he shot himself in the head with a handgun, according to the news release. Police also said they found a weapon at the scene.
Martell was airlifted to a suburban hospital, where he was pronounced dead the following morning.
Aurora police, as is their standard policy, initiated an internal investigation into the incident and placed the officer involved on modified duty.However, the officer has been back on full duty for several months now, Ferrelli said Wednesday.
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