DECATUR-- The heightened level of violence that plagued Decatur and Macon County as a whole near the end of 2012 has followed suit in 2013. An unidentified police officer with the Decatur Police Department was injured in an early morning shooting incident on Friday. The incident occurred as the Emergency Response Team and Narcotics Detectives were executing a search warrant for illegal drugs and the illegal possession of a weapon by a felon. The target of the raid was 32 year-old Dennis Wayne Kendall, who took up residence at 948 N. Taylor in Decatur.
Decatur Police Chief Todd Walker held a press conference on Friday afternoon to give a rundown of the situation that occurred. The following is an excerpt of the transcript.
“Upon arrival at the target residence, tactical officers approached, knocked and announced their presence multiple times with no response from within. Tactical officers then began to breach/force entry utilizing breaching tools. The breach was unsuccessful as the entry point had been reinforced/fortified from the inside. A single gunshot was then fired from within the residence, through a door, and outwards towards the officers. The bullet struck a Narcotics Detective, who had been assigned as an outside perimeter officer and was part of the investigating narcotics team.
After the shot was fired by the suspect, and due to the fortifications of the entry point, tactical officers re-positioned themselves and began treating the incident as a barricaded gunman situation. Within a short period of time, the suspect, Dennis Wayne Kendall was taken into custody by tactical officers; there were no shots fired by the police during this incident.
The injured Police Detective was transported by fellow narcotics detectives to Decatur Memorial Hospital. He sustained a single gunshot wound to the lower right leg. His condition is stable and he is in good spirits. His family has been notified and is with him; we are not releasing his name and honoring his privacy while he is undergoing care and recovery.”
Walker says Kendall was transported to the Police Headquarters and questioned by detectives. He was booked into the Macon County Jail on preliminary charges of attempted murder of a police officer, possession of a firearm by a felon, armed violence, felony drug charges and operating a fortified drug house.
Walker said a second search warrant was secured and proved fruitful. Officers found the suspect’s weapon that was used, a 9mm handgun, and felony amounts of drugs. A separate investigation is ongoing as to how the suspect acquired the handgun, and additional arrests may be on their way.
Wrapping up the press conference Chief Walker said he was proud of the officers involved.
