CARBONDALE - Officials say Carbondale police officer John Doogan shot and killed 22-year-old Lawrence Wirth about 90 seconds after he arrived at the scene of a violent domestic dispute Monday, but both the police chief and Illinois State Police maintain he acted appropriately.

State police Zone 7 investigator Steve Shields said Thursday that Doogan's actions represented a "justifiable use of force," as Wirth refused to stop stabbing a male victim with a knife, even after officers arrived at the South Beveridge Street house around 2:40 a.m. Monday in response to a witness' 911 call.

"The officer gave verbal commands for the attacker to stop," Shields said during a press conference at Carbondale City Hall. "Upon continued disregard of officers' commands to cease, one officer fired one shot into the assailant.

"All indications reveal the action was a justifiable use of force to protect the victim and other occupants of the residence from death or great bodily harm."

Doogan, a police officer for five years, remains on administrative leave from the department pending the completion of the state police investigation.

"Once we finish the evaluation period and Officer Doogan receives the counseling that's required by our policy he will return to his post; we hope that will be in short order," said Carbondale Chief of Police Bob Ledbetter.

Ledbetter said Wirth and his victim, whom police did not name, apparently recently had broken off a personal relationship. When officers entered the house Monday, the victim already had been stabbed in the upper body multiple times, he added.

"The victim told investigators that he believed Wirth was going to kill him," Ledbetter said. "He frankly stated to us, 'The officer saved my life.'"

Ledbetter said domestic violence calls are among the most difficult situations any police officer can step into. The chief also said he doesn't know whether Doogan intended for his shot to be lethal, but given the circumstances that Wirth would not back down, the officer did what he had to do to stop the attack.

Jackson County State's Attorney Michael Wepsiec is in the process of conducting a final review of the investigation's findings.

caleb.hale@thesouthern.com

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