Illinois State Police have released body-worn camera footage of an August 29, 2025, police shooting in O’Fallon that resulted in the death of a 53-year-old man and non-life-threatening injuries to two others. According to authorities, the man was armed with a knife, and officers opened fire after repeatedly ordering him to drop the weapon. The video is now available in the state’s public archive with a viewer-discretion warning.
According to First Alert 4, officers responded around 7:43 p.m. to the 600 block of W. Madison Street, where two people were seen running from 53-year-old Matthew Blanke, who was armed with a knife. After an officer ordered Blanke to drop the weapon and he failed to comply, another officer fired multiple shots, striking him. Officers provided aid at the scene, but Blanke was pronounced dead. No officers were injured.
What the footage shows
The video posted on the Illinois State Police site tracks the incident from the officers' arrival and shouted commands to the rapid escalation into gunfire, then the scramble to render first aid. As shared by Illinois State Police, the entry is labeled "O'Fallon, IL 08-29-25" and carries a posting date of Feb. 3, 2026. The page includes the agency's standard caution that the footage may be graphic.
Prosecutor declines charges
On November 25, 2025, the St. Clair County State's Attorney's Office announced it would not file criminal charges against the officer involved in the O’Fallon shooting. The office did not immediately provide detailed reasoning, concluding the county prosecutor’s criminal review of the incident.
Part of a series of public releases
The O’Fallon footage is part of a broader series of Illinois State Police body-camera releases this winter. In January, ISP released video from a fatal January 4 shooting in East St. Louis. The agency has been regularly publishing recordings from officer-involved critical incidents to a public archive, and the O’Fallon video is now included in that collection.
For residents, attorneys, and officials reviewing use-of-force cases in the metro area, the O’Fallon video and the county prosecutor’s decision are now part of the public record. The Illinois State Police clip remains accessible in the state’s public archive for anyone wishing to view it.
