A State Trooper was hospitalized following a shooting last week, and the State Police have released a dashboard camera and surveillance footage of the incident.
During a traffic stop on Toronto Road in Springfield on Tuesday night, Illinois State Trooper Dakotah Chapman-Green, 37, was shot in both legs, according to the authorities. Surveillance footage from nearby shows the guy pursuing the hurt cop and hitting him with a revolver many times.
Chapman-Green had a fracture to his skull and a brain hemorrhage. Chapman-Green was obviously hurt, yet he got to his feet and walked back to his squad car.
The incident’s video was made available by the State Police on their YouTube channel. Viewer discretion is suggested since the tape may disturb confident readers.
Chapman-Green’s bravery was praised by ISP Director Brenden Kelly during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
“We live in a free country,” Kelly said. “But there is no freedom without the law, there is no law without law enforcement, and there is no law enforcement without brave souls like Trooper Chapman-Green and those standing here with me today willing to do this noble, but dangerous work.”
State Police have verified that Chapman-Green’s health is getting better.
“Every day, he is making improvement,” Kris Chapman-Green, Dakotah’s mother, said. “And he cannot wait to come back to work so he can protect all of you.”
𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐎𝐈𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐑
Read full news release: https://t.co/mjCa5D7Th5 pic.twitter.com/Xq6jgq3Tob
— IllinoisStatePolice (@ILStatePolice) October 31, 2023
Cristobal Santana is accused of two counts of attempted first-degree murder, one count of aggravated battery with a firearm against a police officer, one offense of aggravated battery against a police officer, and one count of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, according to Sangamon County State’s Attorney Dan Wright. Santana might serve a life sentence in jail if found guilty.
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During the suspect’s Friday court appearance, pretrial release was rejected. The following court date for Santana is November 9.
Later that evening, Santana was struck by a separate trooper’s car after stepping in front of it. Santana is still in the hospital.
The family of Chapman-Green is happy that he is getting better from his wounds.
“I have always told Kody that I am proud of the man and the Illinois State Trooper that he is,” Maddy Kinsel, fiancé of Chapman-Green, said. “I don’t think I have ever been more proud of him than I am right now.”