Shannon Graves was a 29 year old on June 24th, 2008. Shannon was a loving and loved brother, family member and Rockford community member.
It was alleged that Shannon was in his girlfriend’s apartment on 16th avenue allegedly causing property damage.
Five Rockford police department officers responded to the 911 call. By the time they arrived and three officers went inside, Shannon left the building. He was seen by the two outside and chased. Rockford Police officer Brian Prine chased Shannon around the building attempting but failing to taser him.
Prine continued running after Shannon through the neighborhood across multiple backyards. Prine was eventually able to get close enough to Shannon to taser him in the back.
Brian Prine tasered Shannon two more times in close range. Officers held Shannon on the ground despite his yelling that he couldn’t breathe. This restraint lasted for at least three minutes before an ambulance was called. It took the ambulance eight minutes to arrive at the scene. Shannon was pronounced dead at the hospital.
This was the first fatal TASER use in Winnebago County and the 15th deadly force incident in the 2000’s.
It was the second fatal non shooting deadly force incident in two years by Rockford Police.