Illinois State Police release video of Harvey traffic stop, fatal shooting

Illinois State Police have released dashcam video showing a traffic stop last week that led to a fatal shooting in south suburban Harvey.

Darren Green Jr., 30, died after his gun allegedly went off during a struggle state troopers Oct. 7 in the 14700 block of South Halsted Street, authorities said.

Neither trooper involved had discharged their weapon during the 12:30 a.m. incident in a parking lot in the south suburb, state police said in a statement.

Two state troopers pulled over a vehicle for not using headlights and noticed a gun in Green’s waistband as he climbed from the passenger seat into the driver’s seat, which had been vacated by a 21-year-old woman who stepped out of the vehicle, state police said.

The video shows a trooper starting to struggle with Green inside the car after the driver got out. A woman can be seen getting out of the back seat with a child just as the car starts to move forward, dragging the two troopers. The vehicle crashes into a bus stop and comes to a rest.

Troopers can be heard calling in reports of shots fired after the crash. One trooper can be heard repeatedly saying, “Stay with me,” after realizing Green was shot.

State police said Green was shot when his gun went off during the struggle. He was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead.

An autopsy found he died of a gunshot wound to the head and ruled his death a homicide, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

Neither officer was struck by gunfire, but both were taken to a local hospital, where they were treated and released, state police said.

The two troopers have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

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