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| June 25, 1973 July 24, 2000 |
Shannon Smith
Shannon Smith was 27 years old when he was shot to death by 23 year old police officer, Jeffrey Gabor, on July
24, 2000. Shannon was trapped on a one lane bridge on I-55 by three police officers, after being chased for failing
to pay $15.05 in gas. As he sat in his car, the three police officers approached him with their guns drawn. Jeffrey
Gabor kicked his car twice, and then began striking the drivers side window with his baton with the help of another officer,
Jason Edmunds. All the while, Shannon is just sitting there in the drivers seat, with his hands up. The other
officer, Dennis Carter, reaches in to try to take the keys out of the ignition and Shannon slowly backs up and bumps the empty
squad car behind him. Dennis Carter again reaches in the broken drivers side window and Shannon drives forward into
the empty squad car in front of him, no one was ever in harms way. At this point, Gabor starts shooting at him through
the back window as Shannon pushes the car in front of him, at the same time Jason Edmunds is shooting at his tires.
The car stops and Gabor continues to shoot through the back window. Shannon was shot four times in the back and shoulders
and once in the cheek. He died almost instantly. Thirty-two seconds after he was trapped on the bridge he lay
dead still seat belted in the drivers seat of his car. He was never given a chance to get out of his vehicle.
Construction workers on the scene who witnessed the incident called it "cold-blooded murder". Family members settled
a wrongful death/civil suit against the police officers and the towns. A Federal criminal investigation is
ongoing, the family hopes the U.S. department of Justice will charge Jeffrey Gabor with Violation of Civil Rights. (Unfortunately,
the Justice Departement has since closed it's investigation)
There's nobody in this world quite like Shannon, he was one of kind. He had an enormous love for dogs.
When he was killed he had 22 of them. His dream was to run a kennel. He had the silliest personality and could
always make you laugh. We all love you Shannon and miss you so much. We know you are still here with us.
We pray someday you will get the justice you so deserve.
The Family of Shannon Smith
Nathan Ruch
Nathan Ruch was 20 years old, when he was shot to death by Normal, IL
police officer, James Merica, on March 27, 2002 after a brief chase. The initial reason for the pursuit was Nathan's
truck tire hitting a median. His story is included on the News Stories page.
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Cindy De Lane Hall (McCure)
A mother of 4 boys, ages 15, 14, 8, and 9. Loving mother, and wife. A daughter
who loved her parents and family dearly and would do anything for them. Her heart reached out to others in need, and was a
very unselfish person. A loving sister who always could make you laugh by saying the silliest things, and a fun loving individual.
Cindy was shot and killed by Livingston County Deputy Sheriff Mark Travis
on the late evening of June 6, 2002. She was killed at her residence in her own front yard. One bullet from a 9mm semi-automatic
glock pistol. One shot, straight through the heart, took the life of a woman who was loved very much. Her children, parents,
and family members miss her very much and hope to seek justice in her untimely death by a man who was sworn to uphold the
law.
We all miss you Cindy, and we know that you can truly rest now in the arms
of God.
Family members will seek to file a wrongful death/civil suit against Livingston
County Sheriff's Department, and will be awaiting any news to provide justice in the sudden death of Cindy. Although nothing
can be done to bring back the one that was lost, we feel that justice and the truth about what happened can help who are greiving
to set to rest the unknown of events that ended in the untimely death of their beloved.
The Family of Cindy Hall
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