MT. VERNON, Ill. – Investigators with the Illinois State Police have identified a man killed by a state trooper during an early-morning shootout on Interstate 64.
The shootout occurred shortly after 3 a.m. on eastbound I-64 at milepost 72, near Mt. Vernon.
According to a report from the ISP Division of Internal Investigation, a trooper stopped to assist a stranded motorist along the shoulder.
The trooper spoke with the driver, identified as Brandon Griffin of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and a female passenger. A second trooper arrived a short time later.
During the ordeal, state police claim Griffin and a trooper got into an altercation, leading to an exchange of gunfire.
One trooper, a 16-year veteran of the Illinois State Police, was wounded. Griffin was shot and killed at the scene. The trooper was taken to a regional hospital. His injuries were not life-threatening.
The other state trooper and the female passenger in the car were not harmed during the shootout.
Eastbound lanes of the interstate were closed for several hours that morning. They were reopened for good just before 9 a.m.
Mt. Vernon is located nearly 80 miles southeast of St. Louis.
