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| The perp |
The shooting took place at a Comfort Inn Hotel on the 1500 block of Illinois Highway 50 around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. The hotel sits on the perimeter of Bradley’s Northfield Square Mall, which is right off of I-57.
Police said officers responded to reports of dogs barking in an unattended car parked in the parking lot. When they arrived, police found the room where the car’s possible owner was staying.
Officer Marlene Rittmanic and another officer had a conversation with multiple people inside the room and were then attacked and shot.
The two officers were transported to an area hospital at death's door. Rittmanic was later pronounced dead. The other officer underwent surgery.
The suspect, 25-year-old Darius Sullivan, is considered to be armed and dangerous.
Police are also searching for a second person of interest that may also have been involved in the incident.