On May 15, 2015, Mark Farrar was experiencing a mental health crisis at his home, with his wife reporting escalating suicidal behavior. She called police at 4:24 PM after Farrar became increasingly erratic, including grabbing an AR-15, stripping naked, and pacing in and out of the house.
By approximately 4:30 PM Farrar was dead. Reports state he was on his front porch when he saw a Rockford Police officer approaching with weapons drawn. Officer David Cerasa alleged that Farrar pointed and fired his firearm at officers, prompting Cerasa to shoot and kill him.
The incident was investigated and ruled justified by the Winnebago Boone County Integrity Task Force. It was the ninth case reviewed by the task force, the tenth deadly force incident of the 2010s, and the second case categorized as “suicide by cop.”