Mundelein police release bodycam footage of fatal officer-involved shooting

Mundelein police Monday released bodycam video of a deadly officer-involved shooting last month that has led to calls for the officer’s firing and a planned protest outside village hall later this week.

The video, narrated by Police Chief Jason Seeley, shows the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Mary Alice Love during a May 11 encounter with police at the back door of her mother’s home.

In the video, officers responding to the home about a potentially suicidal person first meet with Love’s mother, who had earlier called 911 stating that her daughter asked her to call police “so they can kill her.”

“She’s bipolar and she said she don’t want to live anymore,” the caller states in the recording.

Love’s mother allows officers into the home and tells them her daughter is at the back. Video later shows Love sitting at a patio table, with what appear to be two large knives nearby.

When Love’s mother attempts to open a sliding-glass door leading to the patio, officers pull her back, seemingly against her will.

Love then stands and walks to the door, holding the knives. When she slides open the door, an officer begins shooting, firing four shots and killing Love.

“This remains an active and ongoing investigation being conducted independently by the Lake County Major Crime Task Force in coordination with the Lake County state’s attorney’s office,” Seeley states at the onset of the video. “The information released today is based on the evidence currently available and may continue to develop as investigators complete their work.”

The officer who shot Love is an 18-year department veteran who has spent the last 4⅟₂ years as a patrol sergeant, Seeley said. Under department policy, he has been placed on administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing, Seeley added.

Love family attorney Kevin O’Connor confirmed Monday the family viewed the video prior to its public release, but said they still have many questions and concerns about the shooting. Last week, they sent village officials a letter making nine demands, including release of the video, the firing of the officer who shot Love and the suspension of two other officers.

Among their other demands, O’Connor said, is a public apology from police for previous statements portraying Love as someone who threatened officers.

He noted the events leading up to the shooting began when Love’s mother called a mental health crisis line seeking help for her daughter. The crisis line suggested she call police for a crisis intervention, he added.

“(The police officers) had no business being there,” he said. “They are the ones that created this situation, not the family.”

With eight demands unmet, O’Connor said the family intends to go forward with a planned protest at 5 p.m. Thursday at village hall.

“The family continues to seek transparency, accountability and meaningful responses to all of the demands presented to village and the Mundelein Police Department,” he said.

Seeley, in the meantime, is asking the public to await the conclusion of a full investigation.

“We understand the difficult nature of this incident, particularly for the family, those directly involved, and members of our community,” he said in a written statement accompanying Monday’s release. “We ask the public to allow investigators the time and space necessary to complete a thorough and independent review of the facts.”