WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderFreeport police identify officer involved in fatal shooting

Freeport police identify officer involved in fatal shooting

By Marissa Alter

FREEPORT (WREX) - Freeport police the name of the officer involved in a fatal shooting earlier this week.  Investigators say this began as a fight between 55-year-old David Koertner and his son. Stephenson County Sheriff's Police responded to a domestic disturbance at Koertner's son's home. When deputies arrived, Koertner wasn't there. So they asked Freeport police to pick Koertner up at his home.

Officer Sean Patridge arrived at 1645 South Oak Avenue at 5:25 pm. Koertner approached Patridge in the driveway, allegedly with a handgun .

"The officer directed Mr. Koertner and ordered him to drop the firearm," says Freeport Dep. Chief Jeff Davis. "He didn't. He in turn fired one round at the officer, and the officer fired one round back."

Davis says Koertner ran. Officer Patridge wasn't hit but took cover and called for back-up. Police evacuated a few homes and told other neighbors to stay inside.

"There was a bunch of officers running around and hiding behind trees. They all had their guns drawn. I didn't know what was going on," says neighbor Tom Karstedt. 

"Usually it's pretty quiet," adds Jeanna Strader, who lives next door to Koertner. "We have dinners and stuff with our neighbors next to us so it's just kind of a little scary."

Officers found Koertner by his garage already dead, shot once in his chest. Toxicology tests on him won't be ready for a few weeks.

Freeport police called in Illinois State Police to investigate. Officer Patridge is on paid administrative leave.

"The preliminary facts and evidence did not show that the officer acted in any manner other than what was appropriate and necessary for that situation," Davis states.

Freeport will also hold an internal administrative review of the incident to see if proper procedures were followed.

Neighbors, meanwhile, try to move on. "He was the first one who introduced himself to us when we moved in, so it was just kind of sad," Strader says.

13 News contacted Koertner's family, but relatives did not want to speak.