An early morning altercation on I-64 near Mt. Vernon resulted in an Illinois State Police trooper shot and suspect dead.
MT. VERNON (WSIL) -- An early morning altercation on I-64 near Mt. Vernon resulted in an Illinois State Police trooper shot and suspect dead.
According to ISP, around 3 a.m. Tuesday morning, troopers responded to a vehicle in need of assistance on eastbound I-64 near milepost 72, just west of the I-57/I-64 interchange.
An ISP Trooper stopped to help a stranded motorist on the right shoulder of the road.
Inside the vehicle was Brandon L. Griffin, 23, of Albuquerque, NM, and a female passenger.
Another ISP officer arrived on the scene a short time later.
Police say an altercation occurred with Griffin and the 16-year-veteran ISP officer. They exchanged gunfire after Griffin displayed a firearm.
The ISP officer suffered serious, non-life threatening injuries. Griffin was shot and killed.
The injured officer received non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a regional hospital for treatment.
Griffin was pronounced dead at the scene by the Jefferson County Coroner's Office personnel.
The other ISP Trooper and female passenger were uninjured.
Initially, all eastbound lanes of I-64 were closed, but have since reopened at around 6:25 a.m. They later were shut down again at 7:48 a.m. as part of the investigation and reopened at 8:53 a.m.
The investigation is open and ongoing. ISP is processing evidence and conducting interviews.
