One Cop Murdered, A Second Seriously Wounded Responding to Barking Dogs Complaint

This story comes under the category of; there’s no such thing as a routine police call. One Bradley (IL) Police Department (BPD) sergeant is dead, and an officer is in a hospital being treated for serious wounds after responding to a “barking dog” complaint. According to the Daily Journal, the officers had responded to a Comfort Inn parking lot on state route 50 to investigate dogs barking in a parked car.

According to the Journal, “At 9:41 p.m. Wednesday, the two officers arrived at the hotel on a report of dogs barking in an unattended vehicle in the parking lot. They located the vehicle and the hotel room where the possible owner was staying.”

The officers located the room of the occupants associated with the vehicle. As the officers began speaking to occupants, someone opened fire. Both officers were shot and transported to the hospital, where one officer died. CNN reported the other officer was in “critical condition” and reportedly “undergoing surgery.”

Kankakee County Coroner Bob Gessner identified the deceased officer as 49-year-old Kankakee resident, Sgt. Marlene Rittmanic. Officials said, at this time, they are not releasing the wounded officer’s name.

A SWAT team responded and cleared the hotel, conducting a “room by room” search. They did not locate the suspects. The Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) enlisted the assistance of their Facebook page.

They requested the public’s help in locating 25-year-old Darius D. Sullivan. Authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Sullivan. The Bradley Police Department also said they are looking for another “person of interest” they believe was involved in the shootings and murder.

Rather than confront Sullivan, whom they consider “armed and dangerous,” police urged people who see the suspect to call the Illinois State Police Hotline at 815-698-2315. People may report anonymously and can also contact Crime Stoppers at 815-93-CRIME. Officials have announced “a $10,000 reward… for information leading to the arrest of Sullivan.”

KCSO also reported they had issued a previous warrant last summer for burglaries, thefts, and destruction of government property in which Sullivan was a suspect.

The BPD reported, “a police procession transported the fallen officer’s body from Riverside Medical Center to the Kankakee County morgue. Shortly later, village officials lowered the flag at Bradley Village Hall to half-staff.”

Bradley Mayor Mike Watson said, “This is a very sad and tragic day for the Bradley village family. Our hearts and prayers go out to the family members of all involved.”

8 comments
  1. I know what happened, the cops came in power hungry and offended the owners dogs, pets are like children to a troubled mentally ill person, I’m not saying someone needed to die or get shot, I’m just saying that the police officer could have lived if he wasn’t trying to have power over someone’s loved ones, it’s a dangerous game and fooIish cops do it all day and cry when they get put to sleep.

  2. One of the officers said something like:

    We will take your dogs away to be put to sleep, once the shooter hear that, he did the only thing he knew, is don’t mess with me.
    The dead is silent now.

  3. How does the person who called in the complaint Feel about this?
    Don’t mess with peoples kids or pets, you will sleep with the fish, no matter who you are, cop or no cop, humble cops live forever.

    It’s said I feel like this, but this is what it comes to, careless people get hurt.

  4. file:///var/mobile/Library/SMS/Attachments/fb/11/3FCEDD15-8ED3-4811-BC44-99AD80A3DF5C/Screenshot_20220102-191211_1641172358705.jpg

  5. Sullivan was a regular on our area’s “warrant Wednesday”, he’s a career criminal. I work at a hotel next door and work the police regularly for locals that like to trash, party, and disrespect the properties. The entire Bradley force is professional and kind. Barking dogs are a nuisance to other guests and most certainly not an excuse for murder.

  6. I can’t believe that there’s actually people on the side of those disgusting criminals! If you can’t properly take care of an animal you don’t need it. They sound like worthless human beings.

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