In the afternoon of January 28th, 2024, Rockford Police officers responded to a domestic dispute in the 3000 block of Jacqueline Drive. There officers met and interview a woman who told officers that she and Malik “Sonic” Trotter got into an argument at her apartment.
She believed Malik to be high during the interaction and it ended when Malik began to gather up items in a garbage bag, including her cellphone, and left the building.
Malik later told officers that upon exiting he seen a man approaching calling out to him. Malik said he wasn’t sure what this man wanted so he pointed a gun in the sky and fired to scare him away.
Rockford police officers told the woman to call 911 if she could locate her phone and two hours later she was able to. The phone was on 11th street in the area of BJ’s place.
Vargas was a part of the original group of officers that spoke to the woman and had been tracking Malik with his K9. Once the suspected location was broadcast to officers by dispatchers, Vargas went to the area.
He quickly found a man he identified as Malik leaving the area of BJ’s with one large bag and three backpacks on him. Also responding was Sergeant Berke whose presence cause Malik to take off in the opposite direction running in between houses.
Vargas and his K9 ran after Malik with Vargas repeatedly threatening Malik saying the dog was going to bite he continued to run. Malik jumped over a fence which caused Vargas to stop to help his K9 over the fence before he jumped over.
Malik said the K9 caught and him taking him to the ground. He repeatedly called out to Vargas to call the dog off. When Vargas didn’t, Malik shot three times killing the K9.
He continued to run before Vargas from across the street fired 18 shots at Malik. He shot him once in the leg immobilizing Malik.
Malik was arrested and charged with five counts of Attempted First Degree Murder, Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm at a Police Officer, Armed Violence, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Aggravated Battery of a Police Officer, and Killing a Police Animal.
This was the 39th case investigated and justified by the Winnebago Boone County Integrity Task Force.