• 2ND UPDATE: 5 PM FRIDAY, APRIL 27
  

A St. Charles 19-year-old shot Thursday by St. Charles police is now charged with orchestrating the encounter in hopes to either commit suicide or be killed by officers.

(CREDIT: Google Maps)

According to a Friday-afternoon news release, Christopher C. Kemble Jr., 19, is facing three counts of aggravated assault to a peace officer, one count of reckless conduct and one count of disorderly conduct for filing a false police report following a bizarre series of events at around 12:03 p.m. Thursday in a quiet residential area on the far west side of St. Charles.

In the news release, St. Charles Deputy Chief Erik Mahan said an investigation has shown that Kemble himself placed the call to 9-1-1 alleging that there was an armed intruder in his home in the 3400 block of Voltaire Lane, near Peck Road. Kemble told the dispatcher that he believed the intruder had a gun.

Upon arrival, officers encountered Kemble, armed with a handgun and running from the area toward a neighborhood park.

Officers began attempts to establish a perimeter to contain the subject, Mahan said.

Kemble pointed a handgun in the direction of officers, and shots were fired by police. Officers immediately requested paramedics to the scene and began administering first aid to Kemble, reports said.

Kemble was treated and transported by the St. Charles Fire Department to Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital. He was later transferred to a Level I trauma center for additional treatment, where he is listed in stable condition as of Friday afternoon.

Involved officers were also transported to the hospital as a precautionary measure and have since been treated and released.

Following the incident on Thursday, authorities immediately reported “there is no threat to the public,” and St. Charles police worked with St. Charles School District 303 officials to reroute afternoon school buses from the area.

In accordance with Police Department protocol, the Illinois State Police began an investigation of the officer-involved-shooting incident.

In the course of the initial investigation, police learned that Kemble “had communicated with friends that he had a gun and that he intended to kill himself or have police kill him,” the news release said.

Charges were filed after consultation with the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office.

“This is an unfortunate and isolated incident,” Mahan said in the news release. “We are supporting our officers through this difficult time, and we sympathize with the Kemble family during this tragic event.”

Police will work to obtain a warrant for Kemble’s arrest upon his release from the hospital, Mahan said.

For information on suicide prevention, St. Charles police suggest contacting resources such as:

• suicidepreventionlifeline.org 800-273-8255
• spsamerica.org
• www.aidcares.org

The charges against Kemble are not proof of guilt. Kemble is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

SOURCE: St. Charles Police Department news release