On May 28, 2022, Bradley Thompkins, a Rockford native and father, went to the new Rockford Casino where he allegedly drank heavily and was removed from the bar by an off duty Winnebago County deputy working security. After leaving, a 911 call reported that Brad was holding a gun to his own head.
Sheriff’s Deputy Tomasz Wysocki responded first and pulled over Brad’s vehicle and Brad exited and immediately held the gun to his head. Additional Winnebago County deputies and Rockford Police officers arrived on scene.
For several minutes, Brad kept the gun to his head and at one point he raised it into the air and fired a shot before again pointing it at himself. After slumping his head he turned and raised the gun toward officers.
Within two seconds, officers opened fire. Officers Dion Embrey, Jordan Black, and Deputy Giorgi Arbisi were those reported to have fired. They continued shooting as Brad fell and lay on the ground.
This incident was the 27th case investigated and deemed justified by the Winnebago Boone County Integrity Task Force, the 6th ruled under “suicide by cop,” the 7th deadly force incident of the 2020s, and the 16th since Tom McNamara took office.