Deputies Involved In Fatal Shooting At Home Near Crystal Lake Can Return To Work: Police

MCHENRY COUNTY, IL — Four deputies accused of firing the shots that killed a 46-year-old man during a standoff near Crystal Lake in April have been cleared to return to work, authorities said Thursday.

Derrick Lawrence, 46, was pronounced dead inside the home in the 300 block of South Briarwood Road in unincorporated Crystal Lake on April 10.

On Thursday, the findings from a McHenry County Major Investigation Assistance Team were made public. And video showing footage from the deputies' body-warn cameras was released.

The investigation found Lawrence fired a shotgun, aiming at deputies who'd responded to the scene, and was then fatally shot after four deputies fired back. Those deputies were placed on paid administrative leave, which is normal protocol in an officer-involved shooting, and have now been cleared to return to work.

• Coroner IDs Man Killed Following Standoff With Police: Authorities
• Deputy Fatally Shoots Person After Standoff Near Crystal Lake: Police

Police were first called to the home on Briarwood Road at about 4:30 p.m. on April 10. At that time, a woman called to say her brother — who was later identified as Lawrence — was intoxicated and making threats against the family.

The dispatcher asked the woman if there were any guns inside the home, according to the video, which was posted Thursday to the sheriff's office's YouTube channel.

"There are guns in the house," the woman told the dispatcher. "As far as I know, they're not loaded, but there are guns in the house."

When the first deputy arrived at the scene, they spoke with the woman who told them her brother was still inside and in a back bedroom. Her mother and father were also inside the home, she said. The deputy went to the bedroom, knocked on the door and cracked it open to find Lawrence, who was pointing a gun at him.

As the officer retreated, Lawrence said, "you wanna die?"

As more deputies arrived, the elderly father refused to leave the house and one shot was fired while deputies attempted to de-escalate the situation, the video shows. The father eventually walked out of the home as Lawrence fired another shot.

A SWAT team was then called to the scene. Just before 7 p.m., the video shows shots being fired from inside the home toward where many officers were outside. And four deputies fired back.

Lawrence was found inside the home and was pronounced dead at the scene. Several guns were also recovered from the home, according to the sheriff's office.

The full video — which contains graphic material — can be found on the sheriff's office's YouTube channel.