Machete-, shotgun-wielding man shot by officers in Macon arraigned
Oscar McCurry Jr. has since been identified as the person who, on May 3, was armed with a knife when Decatur Police confronted him in a gas station parking lot. McCurry allegedly ran from officers, stole a Macon County Sheriff's squad car, rammed a Decatur Park Police squad car and pointed a police-issued shotgun at officers, prompting them to open fire on him.
Second woman involved in Mattoon nursing home crash dies
After being hospitalized, McCurry was booked into the Macon County Jail over the weekend on preliminary charges of attempted murder, aggravated battery to a peace officer and unlawful possession of a firearm. On Monday, he made an initial appearance in court and was arraigned on the following formal felony counts:
Aggravated unlawful possesion of a weapon
Felon in possesion of a weapon
Aggravated battery/use of a deadly weapon
Aggravated battery to a peace officer
Possesion of a stolen vehicle
Possesion of a stolen firearm
A sworn statement filed in the case, signed by Sheriff's Sergeant David Pittenger, also revealed new details about the confrontation with McCurry and their attempts to negotiate with him.
Deputies responded to the P&V gas station in Macon on May 3 in reference to a person with a machete who had crashed their car into a semi-truck. Pittenger said McCurry, whose machete was still in a sheath, told deputies he believed his daughter was being held inside the cab of the semi and was being sexually assaulted, which is why he crashed his car into the semi.
The owner of the semi allowed deputies into the cab, and they found no one inside. Pittenger said this information still wasn't enough to convince McCurry his children weren't in danger.
A deputy called McCurry's girlfriend to get him to calm down, but right as a deputy got off the phone with her, McCurry ran from the gas station and into the middle of U.S. Route 51. A deputy maneuvered their squad car onto the southbound lanes of the highway to block traffic at Andrews Road.
Danville man sentenced to prison for aggravated domestic battery, battery while detained
Pittenger said McCurry had unsheathed his machete and was standing in front of the squad car that had blocked traffic; the deputy inside quickly got out to put distance between him and McCurry. McCurry, who made suicidal statements, refused to put the machete down despite numerous commands to do so.
'A short time later, Oscar opened the driver's side door of the deputy's vehicle,' Pittenger said. 'Deputies observed Oscar then get into MSO squad car MC25 and drive away at a high rate of speed.'
Pittenger said McCurry didn't get far, initially driving around in circles before driving west on Andrews Street and north on Wall Street. However, he aimed MC25 at multiple other squad cars, forcing the deputies driving them to take evasive action. One of those squad cars ended up in a roadside ditch.
McCurry's ride came to an end when he rammed a Decatur Park Police car on Wall Street a quarter mile south of Route 51, disabling MC25 and the Decatur Park Police car. But while the ride was still happening, McCurry got his hands on the department-issued shotgun inside, which Pittenger said McCurry was holding as he exited the squad car.
'Oscar ignored all commands given by deputies [to drop the shotgun], at which time deputies fired their department-issued weapons at Oscar,' Pittenger said. 'At that time, Oscar dropped the shotgun but retrieved a knife from his pocket while still standing in the roadway.'
Taylorville Police arrest 'dangerous felon' after tracking him to their city
McCurry again refused demands to drop the knife, but Pittenger said he was taken into custody a short time later. Having been shot during the incident, McCurry was initially transported to Decatur Memorial Hospital for treatment of the gunshot wounds and then to a hospital in Springfield for injuries sustained in the crash.
The Decatur Park Police officer who was hurt in the collision with MC25 was also taken to Decatur Memorial. He is expected to be okay.
A week after the incident, a visibly injured McCurry was booked into the Macon County Jail. A check into his criminal history revealed that McCurry has a prior felony burglary conviction out of Oregon.
In court on Monday, Judge Lindsey Shelton found that pretrial detention was necessary for McCurry and ordered him to remain in custody as his court case continues.
A preliminary hearing was scheduled for May 28.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
4 days ago
- The Hill
‘This is a tragedy': Two found dead in Kansas home after alleged child abduction
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – Two people are dead and a man is in custody after an AMBER Alert was issued for a young child Tuesday morning. Initially, police in Topeka, Kansas, said the toddler had been abducted last week by an unknown suspect and was believed to be in 'imminent danger.' A later update from authorities said the vehicle belonging to the boy's mother was also missing. Early Tuesday afternoon, authorities said the missing child had been found safe, roughly 400 miles away in Illinois with the suspect. Christopher Barnshaw, 32, was arrested by police in Mattoon, Illinois, in connection with the toddler's reported abduction. As of Tuesday, he was being held for alleged aggravated kidnapping and unlawful use of a weapon. Preliminary autopsy results released for 9-year-old in AMBER Alert turned homicide investigation Nexstar's WCIA reports the toddler was found safe in the backseat of the vehicle Barnshaw was driving, which matched the description of the car missing from the child's Topeka home. During a press conference shortly after the child was found, Topeka Police said a homicide investigation had been launched in connection with the AMBER Alert. Police Chief Chris Vallejo explained that officers were called to a welfare check at a Topeka home Tuesday morning. There, a man and a woman were found dead. The 2-year-old child who lived at the home was not located, prompting the AMBER Alert. According to Vallejo, police are still investigating the cause of death for the two individuals, whose identities have not been released. 'This is a tragedy, and I know the residents around this area are concerned about this, about this event,' Vallejo said. 'It's not something that happens every day, and I feel for them. I just want them to know that we are going to bring this investigation to its full conclusion and we will bring justice for the victims with whatever information we found out and there is no ongoing threat and the Topeka Police Department and supporting departments are on this case.' What relationship Barnshaw has with the victims, if any, was not shared by police on Tuesday. Authorities said late Tuesday they were working to reunite the child with a family member.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Decatur police chief implements leadership classes for officers
DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) — On Monday, Decatur Police Chief Torry Mack began the first in a series of police officer trainings to do what he describes as improving the quality of the department. When Mack was sworn in on June 2, he vowed to restructure the police department, and he said that starts with additional training. Mack brought in national communications specialist Darryl Rivers for the 4-day sessions. Hands Across Decatur extends hours due to heat Rivers had spent his entire adult life as part of the government, including 17 years as a police officer, sergeant and lieutenant. For nearly two years, the Decatur Police Department has been under heavy scrutiny since the police shooting death of Stephen Perkins in September 2023. The department drew more criticism in April with the death of John Scott Jr., who was arrested by police while experiencing an apparent mental health crisis. 'Leadership is not defined with what's on your collar. You could be a born leader, or you can be a leader,' Mack explained. 'Mr. Rivers is going to make a lot of leaders today with his message.' Rivers drilled the police officers on the meaning of earning respect with your ears and then losing that respect with your mouth. 'From time to time, the biggest part of communication is actually listening, and we as human beings don't do that all that well, so we elect to speak before we listen,' Rivers explained. A city-commissioned independent review released in January found Decatur police officers needed more training both on the law and how they interact with the public. Mack said he wants all of his police officers in the department to be trained as leaders in changing the perception of the department. 'This class today is for the sergeants and below or the officers that are aspiring to be sergeants,' said Mack. 'Just to give them a feel of what it takes to be a competent and a professional leader.' Mack added that he is focused on several issues detailed in the review. Rivers told News 19 that his goal for the officers is to believe that they are leaders both in and outside of the department in order to change its public perception. 'Sometimes people feel that the law enforcement community really isn't in tune with the plight of society, so I feel as though one of the main things that law enforcement could do is literally sit back and listen sometimes in order to understand how to best solve problems, issues and situations,' Rivers said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Yahoo
‘There's just no controlling these weapons': 17-year-old with machine gun arrested in Danville
DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — A Vermilion County teenager is now in custody after having a machine gun in their possession earlier this week. Danville Police said a 17-year-old male was arrested Wednesday afternoon near Martin and Normal Streets. They found the loaded, altered firearm after officers witnessed the suspect acting 'suspicious' while walking illegally in the middle of the street. UPDATE: Coroner ID's Champaign shooting victim 'You pull the trigger one time and there's just no controlling these weapons after that,' said Danville Deputy Police Chief Terry McCord. Police said the teenager now faces four charges relating to possession of a machine gun. McCord talked about the string of gun incidents concerning young people over the last few weeks. 'And they noticed the subject was suspicious to them through their training and their experience, and he was walking in the roadway,' he said. 'So, he was breaking the law. So, they got out with him.' McCord also said they found the 17-year-old with a loaded, modified handgun. 'By Illinois Statute, if they modify it whatsoever and give it the ability to fire more rounds than just one round with one single trigger pull it's identified, the definition is a machine gun,' he said. Human remains found in wooded Springfield area, Coroner says This is just the latest of incidents involving teenagers and guns. This situation happened less than two weeks after an 18-year-old was shot and killed at Winter Park in Danville. 'Whether it's gang related, whether it's just kids out there with no guidance or mentorship, I don't have a good answer for you on that, other than we have to have, even more than we already have, community support,' McCord said. That unnamed 17-year-old now faces four total charges relating to the arrest: Aggravated unlawful use of a weapon Possession of a weapon under the age of 21 Unlawful use of a weapon – possession of a machine gun Obstructing a peace officer 'It's not only our special units, but the patrol officers, the detectives,' McCord said. 'I just can't give enough credit to the proactivity and the positive policing they do in order to get these guns off the street.' The juvenile remains at the Vermilion County Juvenile Detention Center awaiting a court hearing. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
