Armed man fatally shot by Vernon Hills officer: police

A Vernon Hills police officer fatally shot a man armed with a rifle early Saturday in the northern suburb.

Officers responded at 1:38 a.m. to a domestic dispute in the 100 block of Marimac Lane and met the man in his garage, according to a statement from the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force.

One officer “engaged” with the man who was armed with a rifle “and fired at him,” according to the statement. The man was shot and pronounced dead at the scene.

The Lake County coroner’s office identified the man as 34-year-old Randy Rausch, who lived in Vernon Hills. Preliminary results of an autopsy Monday indicated he died of gunshot wounds, but the investigation was ongoing and toxicology testing was pending.

The officer involved in the shooting was taken to a hospital for evaluation, police said. He was treated and released.

An independent investigation into the shooting was being conducted by the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force, which includes members of the Lake County sheriff’s office, Illinois State Police, the Lake County state’s attorney’s office and other municipal law enforcement agencies.