BELLEVILLE, Ill. (KMOX/AP) - An off-duty St. Louis-area police officer shot and wounded a Christmas Eve intruder in a neighbor's apartment in Illinois.
Authorities say that 22-year-old Steven M. Madden of Granite City, Illinois, tried to steal a woman's car Tuesday afternoon outside Belleville, Illinois. They said he was armed and broke several windows of a nearby apartment and threatened people inside with his weapon.
Police say he ordered everyone to get to the back of the room and demanded at least one person to give him their car keys
The St. Clair County, Illinois, Sheriff's Department said off-duty Bel-Ridge, Missouri, Officer Ronald Freeman lives next door heard the commotion and came to the apartment.
He ordered Madden to drop his weapon and shot him twice when he refused.
When Madden threw his weapon at the officer and tried to run away it was discovered that his gun was just a replicate pellet pistol.
He's being held on a $1 million bond and charged with home invasion with a firearm, aggravated battery and aggravated battery to a police officer.