No 'Formal' Fundraising Efforts Set Up Yet For Deputy's Family

ROCKFORD, IL — The McHenry County Sheriff's Office issued a statement Friday, March 8 thanking all who have offered time, effort, funds and "anything else of value" in support of fallen Deputy Jacob Keltner's family and the entire office. The sheriff's office added that at this time they and the Keltner Family have not put together any formal fundraising efforts in Keltner's memory, but are keeping track of offers as they come in.

"If any such efforts to gather community support are in fact organized, we will post them
on our Facebook page which can be searched for on Facebook by using; @MchenryCountySheriff," the sheriff's office said.

'We Saw You': Symbols Of Unity At Fallen Deputy's Procession

The sheriff's office confirmed Deputy Keltner, 35, died just after 3:30 p.m. Thursday. The sheriff's office said Keltner died after he was shot Thursday morning while attempting to serve an arrest warrant with the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force.

The Rockford Police Department said U.S. Marshals were carrying out a warrant at the Extended Stay America on North Bell School Road, when a suspect shot and hit the deputy who was outside the hotel.

McHenry County Sheriff Bill Prim released the following statement Thursday evening:

"It is with great sadness I announce today the passing away of Deputy Sheriff Jacob Keltner, who was shot this morning in the line of duty and subsequently died in the hospital.

Other police agencies, federal, state and local, are at work on this investigation and authoritative information will come from them at the appropriate time, so I will not dwell on the circumstances that gave rise to his untimely death.

For those of us in the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office, this is bitter news. Deputy Keltner was an integral part of our office, someone who had risen quickly to greater responsibilities after he was first sworn in in 2006. He was loved and respected by all his colleagues, and he will be sorely missed."

The Rockford Police Department said the suspect, identified as 39-year-old Floyd E. Brown, drove away from the Rockford area after the incident in a gray or silver Mercury Grand Marquis with an Illinois license plate number of BF13112.

Troopers with the Illinois State Police later found the vehicle on southbound I-55 between Bloomington and Springfield in Logan County. Rockford police added that when troopers tried to stop the vehicle, it crashed and Brown was later taken into custody by Illinois State Police.

Law enforcement agencies had barricaded an area on southbound I-55 near Lincoln during the standoff with Brown. Northbound and southbound I-55 were shut down in the area.

More: State Trooper Fatally Hit On I-294

Rockford police said a female acquaintance of the suspect was also inside the room during the shooting and sustained a gunshot wound from Brown, who was apparently using a rifle. She was taken to a Rockford hospital for treatment, according to police, who said they do not believe she was shot by law enforcement as Rockford Police said no rounds were fired by authorities.

In an email sent to parents just before 11:45 a.m., District 300 said it was placing Gilberts Elementary School, Hampshire Elementary School, Hampshire Middle School, Hampshire High School, and Wright Elementary School in a "shelter-in-place," due to the ongoing search for the suspect.

A procession was held Thursday night from MercyHealth's Javon Bea Hospital - Riverside, and will travel west on Riverside Boulevard from the hospital, south on Perryville Road, before heading west on East State Street to the Winnebago County Coroner's Office at 420 W. State Street.

Keltner is Illinois' second law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty this year.

Illinois State Trooper Christopher Lambert lost his life after he was struck by a car while helping victims of a crash on I-294 on Jan. 12.

So far in 2019, there have been 23 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty across the U.S.