Cop in fatal Kane shooting back on duty; probe continues
The Kane County Sheriff’s Department sergeant involved in the fatal shooting of an armed Batavia Township man on July 8 is back on duty, officials said.
The sergeant was placed on paid leave, a common practice, while authorities investigate the death of Luke Bulzak, 52, of Batavia Township.
The 20-year department veteran returned to duty on Thursday, July 18, said Lt. Pat Gengler, spokesman for the Kane County Sheriff’s Department.
The sheriff’s department said it responded to a call of a suicidal subject late morning of July 8 on the 3S300 block of Elfstrom Trail in Batavia Township.
Authorities said Bulzak was on the roof of his home, refused to put down his high-caliber rifle and was shot after he pointed the rifle at deputies. Bulzak, whom neighbors said was a former sheet metal worker who had Parkinson’s disease, did not fire any shots during the incident and died that night from his injuries.
An autopsy was performed, but Kane County Coroner Rob Russell has declined to comment on a preliminary cause of death until the full report and toxicology results are available.
After the shooting, Sheriff Pat Perez called in the Illinois State Police as a third party to investigate. Inquiries made with the state police this week were referred back to Gengler, who said the investigation is ongoing.
The state police report will be reviewed by Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon before it is released to the public.
“There’s been some speculation as to what happened,” Gengler said. “We’d like to get it out to everybody what really occurred, We would like the investigation to be done. But we also want a thorough and complete investigation by the state police.”