Crime & Safety

1 Officer Killed, 1 Hurt In Bradley Shooting; Suspect At Large

An arrest warrant was issued for Darius Sullivan, considered "armed and dangerous." Police are also looking for a second person of interest.

Police said Darius Sullivan should be considered armed and dangerous after a hotel shooting that killed one Bradley police officer and left another in critical condition.
Police said Darius Sullivan should be considered armed and dangerous after a hotel shooting that killed one Bradley police officer and left another in critical condition. (Bradley Police Department)

BRADLEY, IL — Two officers were shot, one fatally, at a Comfort Inn in the 1500 block of North State Highway 50 in Bradley just before 10 p.m. Wednesday, and police are searching for a man they say is "armed and dangerous."

The Kankakee County Coroner's Office identified the officer who was killed as Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic, 49. A procession to escort her body to a funeral home in Bourbonnais was set for 2 p.m. Thursday.

Bradley police said the officers responded to a report of dogs barking in an unattended vehicle around 9:41 p.m. and located a room at the hotel where they believed the owner was staying. The officers were attacked and shot by the occupants of the room while speaking with them about the dogs, according to police.

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Both officers were taken to nearby hospitals, where Rittmanic was pronounced dead, and the other, identified as 27-year-old Officer Tyler J. Bailey, was in critical condition and undergoing surgery.

Police said a warrant has been issued for 25-year-old Darius D. Sullivan, who, along with a second person of interest, remains at large.

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The Kankakee County Sheriff's Office said Sullivan is considered armed and dangerous, and anyone who spots him or knows his whereabouts should not confront him and instead call 911.

Anyone with information on the fatal shooting is asked to contact the Illinois State Police Hotline at 815-698-2315. Callers can also remain anonymous by calling that number or CrimeStoppers at (815) 93-CRIME.

The Bradley shooting comes one day after Wayne County, Illinois Deputy Sean Riley was shot and killed while responding to a call for a motorist assist near the Illinois-Indiana border. Wednesday afternoon, police apprehended a man they say went on a multi-state crime spree after shooting Riley.

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