Rolling Meadows chief addresses shooting

Following a confrontation over the weekend where a man wielding knives was shot and killed by officers, Rolling Meadows Police Chief Steve Williams said Wednesday he is confident his department acted appropriately.

Michael Chybicki, 44, of Lake in the Hills was shot around 8:50 p.m. Saturday on the 4800 block of Weber Drive in Rolling Meadows.

"I have reviewed the preliminary investigation and all of the elements surrounding the incident," Williams said. "It is my opinion that our officers acted within the constraints of state statutes relative to the use of deadly force."

Williams also offered condolences to Chybicki's family in what he called a "tragic piece" of what police work sometimes entails.

Officers were originally called to the apartment complex because residents said Chybicki was intoxicated and carrying multiple knives. He was reportedly also walking between the apartment buildings and the parking lot, Williams said.

"He was drunk and falling down and threatening people," Williams said.

Earlier in the week, police said that the officers responded with "lethal force," and Chybicki was transported to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, where he was pronounced dead.

Rolling Meadows Mayor Ken Nelson also said earlier in the week that an officer had fired one shot at Chybicki after he failed to respond to an order to put down his knife and use of a Taser did not seem to have any effect on him.

On Wednesday, Nelson said that police are highly trained in what to do in these situations, and he's confident that the city's officers reacted according to that training.

"The whole event is a tragic one," he said. "It's a tragedy for the man and his family and for our community."

Williams, who briefed the city council at its meeting Tuesday, said he couldn't comment further on the details of what happened until the Illinois State Police -- which is investigating the matter -- released its report.

He said he expects a preliminary report soon, but a full report may take several months.

Williams said he called in the state police to investigate the matter to ensure that it was being done in an unbiased manner.

"It's simply standard operating procedure; it doesn't imply anything," he said. "I don't want to jeopardize the impartiality of the investigation. I need to be somewhat reticent."

While the city has had other officer-involved shootings, this is the first instance where the offender has been killed, Williams said.

Chybicki, who was born July 18, 1963, in Chicago, worked in the transport business for many years.

Most recently, he worked for the Moscoso Trucking company in Wood Dale. He quit that job about six months ago, according to co-worker Gilberto Moscoso.

"He was a very quiet person," he said. "He worked well every day with customers."

Moscoso said the news was shocking when he heard it because it didn't meld with the picture of Chybicki he had from working with him.

"I saw him almost every day and talked with him a lot," he said. "It was a big surprise for me; he was a very intelligent person."

Services for Chybicki, formerly of Rolling Meadows, will begin at 9:30 a.m. today at Meadows Funeral Home, 3615 Kirchoff Road, Rolling Meadows, and proceed to St. Colette Church for a 10 a.m Mass.