Luis Cruz, 19

Peoria, Illinois
July 17, 2018

Agencies: Peoria Police Department Illinois | Illinois State Police

Cause of death: Shooting

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Last updated: almost 5 years ago

Overview

Luis Cruz was pronounced dead around 2:30 a.m. in the OSF St. Francis Medical Center Emergency Room following "aggressive resuscitation efforts."

Police told WEEK they conducted a traffic stop around midnight on Blaine St. They said they learned the driver was a wanted suspect, and Cruz took off during the stop.

Police have not said what Cruz was wanted for.

Police first stopped the vehicle Cruz was in shortly after midnight. Cruz, who was a passenger, was wanted for questioning in a June 21 shooting and a domestic battery, Marion said.

As the car stopped, passenger Cruz got out and ran, police said. Officers pursued him, but at some point, he turned his body toward the officers, and that’s when the fatal shots were fired, police said.

A handgun was found in the area, Marion said. However, citing the ISP investigation, he would not comment whether the officers saw Cruz with a handgun, or if he pointed the weapon at the officers.

Video embedded below shows the officer firing numerous times at a fleeing victim.

Legal Action

Four months after his death, in November, 2018, State's Attorney Jerry Brady ruled that the shooting of 19-year-old Luis Cruz over the summer was justified. After an investigation, Brady said officer Ryan Isonhart acted in self defense, and fatally shooting Cruz, who ran from police after a chase, was not using excessive force.

In May 2019, the family of a Peoria man killed in a 2018 officer-involved shooting sued the City of Peoria and two police officers involved in the incident.

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