The Killing of Kerry Blake

On December 30, 2018, Kerry Blake was shot and killed by Rockford Police SWAT officer Matthew Krantz following a day-long standoff, with further details later revealed in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by his family.

Earlier that morning, officers Brandon Wells, Jason Lawler, and Irvin Benitez responded to an anonymous call that Kerry was moving furniture into the street. They observed erratic behavior, and Kerry refused to speak with them before they left. Over the next several hours, Kerry experienced a schizophrenic episode. In the afternoon, he entered a minivan matching his daughter’s vehicle but belonging to someone else, with children inside; after driving less than a block, he stopped and let the children out unharmed before returning home. He was later charged with possession of a stolen vehicle and two counts of unlawful restraint.

Around 1:30 PM, Lawler and Wells returned after a 911 call about the vehicle and again observed Kerry acting erratically, sharing this with responding officers who were already aware of his mental illness. Kerry’s family was briefly allowed to speak with him for about ten minutes, during which his condition appeared to worsen. As they were escorted away, they asked officers to give him time. During this period, Kerry opened the door, threw out the keys to the minivan, and tossed out a decorative samurai sword, signaling non-violence.

Despite this, police escalated their response, deploying a large presence including SWAT, K9 units, armored vehicles, and dozens of officers. At 7:13 PM, officers fired approximately 12 rounds of OC spray into the home. Kerry was seen pacing with a crowbar and warning he would defend himself if officers entered. His family was allowed to speak to him again via loudspeaker, but he did not respond meaningfully.

Police then shifted from negotiation to planning a forced entry. The plan called for officers with less-lethal weapons to lead, but during the breach, SWAT officer James Gulley (with a beanbag shotgun) and Matthew Krantz (armed with a Glock 23) entered from the back. Although Gulley was designated to lead, Krantz took the lead. As Kerry held the front door against entry, Krantz entered from behind and, without attempting engagement, shot Kerry in the head at close range and then fired three additional shots, killing him.

The family’s wrongful death lawsuit remains active. Krantz retired in good standing after the shooting was ruled justified, while Wells, Lawler, and Benitez remain with the department and have since been promoted.

This incident was the 16th case investigated and deemed justified by the Winnebago Boone County Integrity Task Force, the 18th deadly force incident of the 2010s, and the fifth since Tom McNamara took office.