04/30/2023
When officers arrived, they engaged in gunfire with a suspect. The suspect was shot at least once and taken to a hospital. No charges were initially fired, the name of the suspect was not released, and the Illinois State Police investigated the incident because it was an officer involved shooting.
Nearly a month later, the McLean County State’s Attorney has formally filed charges against 29-year old Alex Nunn. Nunn was arrested and charged with one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, a Class 2 felony; two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, a Class 3 felony; three counts of aggravated assault of a peace officer, a Class 4 felony; and one count of reckless discharge of a firearm, a Class 4 felony.
According to a Verified Statement of Arrest, Nunn was at a residence in Elm Point Apartments. It was revealed that Nunn had a firearm in his possession and was forced to leave the residence. Nunn stood outside the apartment complex with an unnamed individual. At some point, Nunn fired a single shot into the area. According to the State’s Attorney, this is a “crowded residential area and the discharge of the firearm in that manner endangered all the people in that residential area.”
This precipitated a call to 911 and a law enforcement response.
Officers went to the doorway of 902 turnberry drive and observed a male that matched the description provided by the caller. This male would later be identified as defendant Alex Nunn. The officers entered the common hallway of the building and attempted to speak with the defendant. Upon entering the building the officers observed the defendant grab a firearm from his waistband and point the firearm at the officers. As the defendant pointed his firearm at the officers, one of the officers discharged his duty weapon at the defendant as the officers exited the building. The defendant stayed in the hallway of the building and retained possession of the firearm. The officers gave repeated verbal commands to the defendant to drop the gun but the defendant refused to do so. The defendant still had the gun in his hand above his [head]. The defendant began to lower the firearm again and an officer discharged his duty weapon, which incapacitated the defendant. The officers entered the building, took the defendant outside of the building, rendered aid to him, and got him to the paramedics where he was transported to the hospital for treatment.
Within the hallway, officers located a kel-tec .380 caliber handgun which had a magazine loaded with 9mm ammunition. Officers also located an inside-the-waistband holster in the defendant’s pants.
The Bloomington Police Department has denied Agitation Rising’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for body-cam footage and incident reports, citing an ongoing investigation.
However, Agitation Rising obtained exclusive video from an anonymous source of the shooting as it happened. Nunn was livestreaming from his phone the moments it all went down.
The livestream begins showing Nunn vaping while kneeling on the floor. BPD police can be heard entering the residence.
“Sir. Police Department. Put your hands up!” BPD alleges that at this point Nunn raised his gun towards the police. Three shots are fired, which causes Nunn to move, but it’s not clear he was injured, as he does not express any signs of pain. The gun is in his left hand, while he holds his phone in his right.
Police exit the residence and begin yelling commands at Nunn from a farther distance. The police order Nunn to put down his weapon.
In a mere matter of moments, Nunn–with his gun in his left hand–attempts to put the gun underneath his chin in an attempt to take his own life. One shot is fired by an officer causing Nunn to recoil in pain. His left hand initially drops to his waist before Nunn discards his firearm to his left. Nunn appears keel over on the floor dropping his cellphone.
Nunn is outside the camera frame. Police arrive at his position and arrest him.
WARNING: THIS VIDEO SHOWS GRAPHIC VIOLENCE AND MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR ALL AUDIENCES. VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.
If the police had not shot Nunn, he would likely be dead.
On April 12th, McLean County State’s Attorney Erika Reynolds issued a statement that the officers involved were completely justified in their use of force.
“The McLean County State’s Attorney’s Office finds that the course of conduct engaged in by the officers was justified, reasonable, and necessary to protect the public and themselves from great bodily harm and loss of life. Their actions prevented the loss of life and are to be commended.
“It is the unequivocal opinion of the McLean County State’s Attorney that the Bloomington Police Department officers were legally justified in their use of force against this subject on March 30, 2023.”
The last officer-involved shooting by BPD was in 2013.
Nunn is being held in the McLean County Jail pending trial. His bond was set at $500,000 with 10% to apply, meaning he would have to pay $50,000 plus court fees to be released. His next court date is set for 9 a.m. May 19.
Alex Nunn is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
