Gov. Bruce Rauner offered his condolences to the family of Rockford Police Officer Jaimie Cox who was killed earlier this month in the line of duty.
“We are deeply saddened by the death of Officer Jaimie Cox,” Rauner said in a Nov. 5 statement. “He paid the ultimate price while working to keep our communities safe. My thoughts and prayers are with his family as they find a way to cope with this tragic loss.”
The Rockford River Times reported that Cox’s death marks the first time that a Rockford officer has been killed in the line of duty in more than 15 years.
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner
Cox was killed during an early morning traffic stop on Nov. 5, the paper said. Cox pulled over a truck that displayed license plates that did not match the vehicle, driven by Eddie Patterson Jr., the paper said. Cox radioed for assistance and a struggle ensued. Cox was entangled in the vehicle as Patterson drove away from the site of the traffic stop. An autopsy has shown that he died from blunt force trauma, and that Patterson died from a gunshot wound. The case is still being investigated.
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