On October 20th, 1996, two men entered the KFC at 1502 Kilburn Avenue in Rockford, Illinois just before 8:00 p.m.
The two men pulled guns out while taking personal belongings from the employees and customers and money from the cash register. As the two ran out, they shot at the security cameras.
In the area was Rockford police officer Scot Mastroianni who left a traffic stop to respond to the armed robbery call. Mastroianni, as he arrived on the scene and seen the two men running, he hit one with his squad car.
Mastroianni got out and began chasing the man he had hid on foot. He alleges when the man, later identified as Landis Simon, turned around Mastroianni shot several times in his direction hitting him once in the leg.
Landis and the other man were both arrested and charged for the armed robbery.
This was the tenth police shooting of the 1990’s in Winnebago County - all previously justified.
This was the third police shooting in 1996 by police in Winnebago County.