Suburban Chicago police officer fatally shoots hatchet-wielding man; suspect dies

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — A police officer in suburban Chicago fatally shot a man who allegedly attacked him with a hatchet during a traffic stop on Friday, authorities said.

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Update 4:01 p.m. EDT June 8: The DuPage County Coroner’s Office identified the assailant as Edward C. Samaan, 28, of Naperville, WLS-TV reported. An autopsy has been completed, but the cause and manner of his death is still under investigation pending toxicology results.

The coroner’s office has performed an autopsy, but the results have not been released pending a toxicology analysis, the Daily Herald of Arlington Heights reported.

Original report: According to a news release from the Naperville Police Department, the officer, who has been with the force for 22 years, was conducting a traffic stop when an unrelated vehicle pulled up.

According to police, a man exited the second vehicle and advanced toward the officer with a hatchet in his hand, WLS-TV reported.

Naperville police released a still image from the officer’s body camera showing the confrontation and the hatchet, according to the department’s news release.

The officer fired his weapon, striking the subject, according to the news release. The man, who police said was in his 20s, was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead, WGN-TV reported. The officer was not injured, according to police.

The identity of the alleged assailant is being withheld pending notification of the man’s family, according to the news release.

The DuPage County Metropolitan Emergency Response and Investigative Team and the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office are investigating, police said.

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