On March 26, 2014, Anthony Dominguez-Cano was a passenger in a vehicle being pursued by Winnebago County Sheriff’s Deputy James Abate, a five-year SWAT team deputy at the time. It was alleged that Abate initiated the pursuit based on suspicion that one occupant may have been involved in a disorderly conduct investigation, a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in county jail. Another occupant in the vehicle was also wanted on a bench warrant for criminal trespassing.

During the incident, someone inside the vehicle allegedly fired a shot in Abate’s direction. Anthony Dominguez-Cano and another individual then fled the vehicle and were pursued by Abate. While running away, Dominguez-Cano was shot twice: once in the back and once in the leg. The other individual reportedly escaped.

This was the seventh case investigated and ruled justified by the Winnebago County Integrity Task Force, the eighth police deadly force incident in Winnebago County during the 2010s, and the second shooting following a traffic stop reviewed by the task force.