Man Killed In Des Plaines Police Shooting Was Armed With Hedge Trimmer: Police

DES PLAINES, IL — A 21-year-old Des Plaines man who died after being shot by police Wednesday was armed with an electric hedge trimmer and advancing toward an officer when the officer opened fire, according to new details released Thursday.

Des Plaines police said officers responded at about 2:32 p.m. Sept. 9. to a domestic disturbance in the 2000 block of E. Touhy Avenue.

Dispatchers told responding officers that Ayham Babidi, a resident of the home, was acting violently and breaking windows at the residence, police said.

The first officer to arrive stopped in the roadway near the home and encountered Babidi in the front yard holding an electric hedge trimmer, according to police.

Police said Babidi immediately began approaching the officer while brandishing the trimmer in what authorities described as a threatening manner.

The officer ordered Babidi to drop the trimmer, but police said he refused and continued moving toward the officer.

As the confrontation continued, police said the officer backed away across Touhy Avenue and into oncoming traffic while repeatedly ordering Babidi to drop the hedge trimmer.

The officer then fired three rounds, striking Babidi, police said.

Police said the officer immediately began providing medical aid until additional officers and Des Plaines Fire Department personnel arrived.

Babidi was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly after the shooting.

RELATED: Touhy Avenue Closed During Police Investigation In Des Plaines

Dashcam, Security Video Captured Shooting

Police said the confrontation was captured by the officer's patrol vehicle dashcam and residential security cameras in the area.

The officer's body-worn camera was not activated before the shooting, police said, citing what the department described as the rapid escalation of the encounter.

Investigators with the Major Crimes Assistance Team recovered the electric hedge trimmer from the scene.

Des Plaines police said Thursday they would not immediately release video of the shooting because doing so could compromise MCAT's third-party investigation.

The department said the footage will be released once investigators determine its release would no longer interfere with the case.

MCAT is conducting the outside review of the officer-involved shooting. Des Plaines police previously said the agency would perform an impartial, third-party investigation.

The officer who fired the shots has not been publicly identified.

Police said additional information will be released as it becomes available.