Cook County prosecutors have decided that a North Riverside police officer was legally justified in fatally shooting a man armed with two knives during a Jan. 12, 2025 domestic disturbance and will not pursue criminal charges. That conclusion is detailed in a public review memo that lays out investigators' findings and the legal reasoning behind them. The shooting, which left the man identified by relatives as Jose Evans dead at a hospital, has continued to fuel demands from family and neighbors for transparency around body‑camera footage and how police handle people in crisis.
Prosecutors' review
After reviewing body‑worn camera footage, civilian witness statements, medical records and forensic evidence, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office determined there was not enough evidence to file criminal charges against Officer Alex Weitzel. The review incorporated findings from the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force and an independent affirmation by the Illinois State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor. "The evidence is insufficient to support the filing of criminal charges," the memo states, according to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
How the encounter unfolded
According to prosecutors, officers were dispatched to the 8500 block of Cermak Road for what was described as an isolated domestic incident and encountered Jose Evans coming out of an apartment holding two butcher knives. The memo states that officers first tried less‑lethal options, including beanbag rounds, but those efforts did not stop him. Officer Weitzel then fired three shots, two of which struck Evans, who was later pronounced dead at Loyola University Medical Center. Prosecutors say Evans ignored commands and "yelled" "do it" as he moved toward nearby civilians, a sequence they argue supported the officer's belief that there was an imminent threat of serious harm, according to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Family and witnesses
Relatives of Evans told local reporters he appeared to be experiencing a mental‑health episode while visiting and questioned why officers did not resolve the encounter with non‑lethal tactics. "I want to know what happened, my son is mentally ill and he got shot," his mother said, according to ABC7 Chicago. Neighbors and bystanders shared cellphone video from moments before the gunfire, and community members have continued to push for release of the full body‑camera footage.
Legal standard and implications
Under Illinois law (720 ILCS 5/7‑5), an officer may use deadly force only when the officer reasonably believes it is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm. Courts are required to judge that decision from the viewpoint of a reasonable officer on the scene, not with the benefit of hindsight. Prosecutors said they applied that standard in deciding whether the evidence would support criminal charges. The statute and related case law frame these reviews, according to the Illinois Compiled Statutes and the Supreme Court's reasonableness test in Graham v. Connor.
What's next
The Village of North Riverside characterized the incident as an isolated domestic matter and said officers at the scene were wearing body cameras and cooperating with the state investigation, according to a village statement reported by Patch. Legal experts and advocates note that a decision not to bring criminal charges does not prevent possible internal discipline within the department or civil lawsuits, which are governed by different and lower standards of proof, including the civil preponderance standard described by the Legal Information Institute. Evans' family and community groups say they plan to keep pressing for full access to the footage and clearer policies on how suburban officers respond when callers say a loved one is in crisis.
