Man killed in shootout with police in Beach Park identified
Authorities Thursday released the name of the 24-year-old Beach Park man fatally shot by police Tuesday after he opened fire on officers in North suburban Beach Park.
Brandon Gardner died as a result of injuries received from a gunshot, according to Lake County Coroner Howard Cooper.
Cooper said toxicology reports are pending and the investigation into Gardner's death continues by his office and the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force.
"We have been in close contact with Mr. Gardner's family, and our deepest condolences go out to them during this difficult time. This is truly a tragedy," Cooper said.
Cooper said his office is not now releasing the number of times Gardner was shot.
Sgt. Chris Covelli of the Lake County sheriff's office said Tuesday that Gardner was wanted on a warrant stemming from the December 2018 shooting death of an 18-year-old in Zion.
Covelli said police had learned Gardner was likely staying at a house on the 38500 block of North Green Bay Road in Beach Park. Members of the sheriff's warrants team and a regional U.S. marshal's fugitive task force were approaching the house when Gardner got out of a vehicle in the driveway and shot at them with a pistol, officials said.
Two members of the warrants team returned fire, fatally wounding Gardner, Covelli said. One team member is a Lake County sheriff's deputy and the other is with the McHenry County sheriff's office, Covelli said.
Police performed CPR and first aid on Gardner until paramedics arrived, authorities said. He was taken to Vista East Hospital in Waukegan and pronounced dead.
The McHenry County deputy was taken to a hospital with a cut on his arm, Covelli said. The other deputy who shot at Gardner was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
Sgt. Aimee Knop of the McHenry County sheriff's office said the McHenry County deputy, an 11-year veteran of the department, was released from the hospital Tuesday night after sustaining minor injuries. Covelli said the Lake County sheriff's deputy is a 10-year veteran of the sheriff's office.