On the afternoon of January 28, 2024, Rockford Police responded to a domestic dispute in the 3000 block of Jacqueline Drive, where a woman reported that she had argued with Malik “Sonic” Trotter at her apartment. She believed Malik was high, and the incident ended when he packed items, including her cellphone, into a garbage bag and left. Malik later told officers that as he exited, a man approached him calling out, so he fired a gun into the air to scare him away.
Officers told the woman to call 911 if she located her phone, and about two hours later she did, reporting it was on 11th Street near BJ’s Place. Officer Vargas, who had initially spoken with the woman, was tracking Malik with a K9 and responded to the area after dispatch relayed the location. He spotted a man he identified as Malik leaving BJ’s area carrying one large bag and three backpacks. When Sergeant Berke arrived, Malik ran in the opposite direction between houses.
Vargas and his K9 pursued Malik, repeatedly warning that the dog would bite. After Malik jumped a fence, Vargas paused to help the K9 over before continuing. Malik said the K9 caught him and took him to the ground, and he called out for Vargas to stop the dog. When the dog was not called off, Malik fired three shots, killing the K9, and then fled again.
Vargas began shooting at Malik while ordering him to drop his gun, striking him once in the leg and immobilizing him. Malik then threw his weapon down and fell to the ground screaming in pain, but Vargas continued firing, discharging a total of 18 shots. Malik survived, was arrested, and charged with five counts of Attempted First Degree Murder, Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm at a Police Officer, Armed Violence, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Aggravated Battery of a Police Officer, and Killing a Police Animal.
This incident was the 39th case investigated and deemed justified by the Winnebago Boone County Integrity Task Force.