On April 8, 2017, Rockford Police officer Ben Schuster was dispatched around 1:43 PM to Dick’s Sporting Goods on East State Street. While there, a store employee shouted that Eboney Adams was stealing, though no information was ever publicly released explaining why the employee believed this or what Adams was allegedly taking. It was later confirmed that Adams was not involved in the original incident that brought police to the store.
After being directed to her vehicle, Schuster found Adams already inside with the engine running and doors closed. He ordered her to exit, and when she did not immediately comply, he opened the driver’s side door. According to then State’s Attorney Joe Bruscato, Adams was yelling obscenities, and when she began reversing, Schuster initially walked alongside the car but was unable to move around it. The state claimed he was struck by the car door, though details of any injury were not disclosed.
As Adams backed out and began to drive away, Schuster fired six shots into the vehicle in the parking lot. Adams continued driving and stopped at the intersection of State and Trainer Road, where Schuster found her, removed her from the car, and she was discovered shot in the left arm with multiple bullet holes in the vehicle. She was taken to the hospital and charged with aggravated battery to a police officer.
The Winnebago Boone County Integrity Task Force was activated the night of the shooting, and in August 2017 the incident was ruled justified as the 12th case investigated by the task force. It was the first deadly force incident under Mayor Tom McNamara and the 14th of the 2010s.