Authorities ID man fatally shot by police after allegedly waving gun at Forest Park restaurant
FOREST PARK, Ill. - Authorities have identified a man who allegedly waved a gun at a restaurant last month and was fatally shot by police in west suburban Forest Park.
About 7:50 p.m. March 24, officers received calls of a man who dropped a pistol on the floor of a Jimmy Johns at 350 Circle Ave., according to a statement from police.
Witnesses told police the man was waving the gun around saying, "Please don’t make me do this now," according to police.
The man walked outside the restaurant and stood with the pistol in his hand and, when officers arrived at the scene, a patrol officer and a sergeant fired shots, Forest Park Deputy Chief Ken Gross said. Investigators do not believe the man shot himself, Gross said.
Police were still trying to determine if the man fired his gun at officers, Forest Park police said in an updated statement Thursday.
The man was placed into custody and rushed to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
He was identified as Tony Smith Jr. of Pingree Grove, the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.
The pistol was recovered, police said. The officers involved were taken to the hospital with injuries that weren’t life-threatening.
Illinois State Police were investigating the shooting.