Bodycam: Ind. Deputy Shot in Head in Chilling Standoff

By Jana Wiersema

Source The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.

SHELDON, IL — An investigation by the Illinois State Police and the Iroquois County State's Attorney has concluded that a deputy-involved shooting that lead to the death of a suspect in an alleged kidnapping was "justified."

Andrew Roselius, 37, Ashkum, was shot by an Iroquois County Deputy on Sept. 1, 2024 after shooting a Newton County, Ind. deputy during a confrontation with law enforcement, said the office of Iroquois County State's Attorney James Devine.

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Roselius was pronounced dead at the scene, while Cpl. Brandon Schreiber died from his wounds at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana 10 days later, according to the Newton County Sheriff's Office.

The Iroquois County Sheriff's Department, the Illinois Sate Police, the Newton County Sheriff's Department and the Kentland, Ind. Police Department responded to an alleged kidnapping in progress on Sept. 1, according to the state's attorney's office.

The vehicle of Roselius, a suspect in the case, was found in rural Iroquois County. Roselius refused to stop for law enforcement and drove to Newton County, Ind. He then headed back into Iroquois County and hit another vehicle in Sheldon.

Once stopped, Roselius' vehicle was surrounded by law enforcement officials. He was reported to be armed and suicidal, the state's attorney's office wrote.

"A confrontation occurred between law enforcement and Mr. Roselius while he was seated in his vehicle," the state's attorney's office said. "After repeated requests by law enforcement for Mr. Roselius to show his hands and to leave his vehicle, Mr. Roselius displayed a revolver and fired one shot which struck a Newton County Indiana Deputy in the head which left him critically wounded."

An Iroquois County deputy returned fire and struck Roselius in the head.

The Illinois State Police Zone 5 Investigations team conducted an investigation of the shooting.

"After a thorough examination of witness accounts, body-camera footage, squad car camera footage, ballistic tests, Illinois State Crime Lab analysis and autopsy findings, the Iroquois County State's Attorney's Office was presented with all relevant investigatory information," the state's attorney's office wrote. "The Iroquois County State's Attorney, Jim Devine, concluded that the death of Andrew Roselius by law enforcement on September 1, 2024 was justified."

The state's attorney's office will take no further action in this case.

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