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Investigation Launched Following Death of Kansas Man After Police Pursuit
On October 5, the Illinois State Police (ISP) announced the initiation of an investigation concerning the death of Kirtis Shane Davenport, a 43-year-old man from Kansas, who passed away on September 26 after being involved in a police pursuit on September 22. The circumstances surrounding this incident are currently under scrutiny.
Davenport, who died at St. Louis University Hospital, had an autopsy conducted on October 1 to clarify the cause and manner of his death, though the results were not made available as of Wednesday. An ISP spokesperson stated, “ISP is conducting an officer-involved death investigation related to a pursuit on September 22. Once complete, ISP will turn its investigation over to the State’s Attorney’s Office.”
This incident marks the second officer-involved death linked to the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office in a three-month span. In July, Deputy Sean Grayson was involved in a controversial case where he shot an unarmed woman, Sonya Massey, in her home. Grayson is currently facing charges of first-degree murder and remains in detention while awaiting trial.
The national attention that Massey’s case received has intensified scrutiny on the hiring practices of the former sheriff, Jack Campbell, who announced his retirement in August. The recent death investigation comes just after the county board appointed Paula Crouch, a veteran of the Springfield Police Department, as Campbell’s successor.
Details surrounding Davenport’s passing and the subsequent police pursuit are limited. According to a statement from the county, the pursuit commenced after deputies responded to a burglary report at a motorcycle dealership located north of Springfield. Crouch confirmed that both a deputy and a sergeant were involved in the pursuit in response to inquiries from Capitol News Illinois.
“ISP was contacted, and it was determined they would investigate the incident when the pursuit began, while Sangamon County would handle the burglary investigation,” Crouch stated.
The deputy and sergeant involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave as the investigation continues. The news release from Crouch was issued nearly a week after Davenport’s death.
According to police reports, on September 21 at approximately midnight, deputies were dispatched to investigate an alarm at the motorcycle dealership. Upon arrival, they found the front door damaged and a witness reported seeing a white Dodge Ram parked at the scene with two individuals inside.
Approximately two hours later, deputies identified a Dodge Ram with a motorcycle in its bed. After attempts to pull the truck over failed, the driver fled the scene, discarding tools and a tire along the deputies’ path during the chase. The pursuit extended south on Interstate 55 through multiple counties before deputies lost sight of the vehicle, eventually locating Davenport lying beside the road, prompting them to halt the chase to render medical assistance.
Local residents reported that Davenport was found on Binney Station Road, near the border of Macoupin and Madison counties. He was subsequently airlifted to St. Louis University Hospital but succumbed to his injuries four days later.
On September 24, authorities located the abandoned truck on South Fourth Street in Livingston, roughly one mile from where Davenport was discovered. Reports indicated that Madison County Sheriff’s deputies and ISP troopers investigated the vehicle, which was confirmed to have been stolen from Kansas, with its license plates tampered. Weapons were also reportedly found inside the truck. The driver of the vehicle remains unidentified and at large.
The Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office received confirmation on September 25 that Davenport had suffered “non-survivable injuries,” leading them to request an investigation from state police. Davenport passed away the following day.
It is important to note that Davenport had recently been released from federal prison in May after serving a four-year sentence related to a weapons offense. His criminal background includes a lengthy history of run-ins with the law, including a notorious escape incident highlighted by FBI investigations.
The complexity of this case underscores the ongoing challenges law enforcement faces, particularly regarding pursuits and the potential for tragic outcomes.
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