Body camera video shows shooting that killed Oak Park Detective Allan Reddins

Oak Park Police Detective Allan Reddins called out to a gunman to keep his hands up just seconds before the officer was fatally shot.

Newly released footage from Reddins' body camera recorded the detective yelling out, "Don't reach, bro. Don't reach. Keep your hands up," seconds before he was shot by a gunman police later identified as 37-year-old Jerrell Thomas.

Police on Thursday released video footage from five officers who were involved in the Nov. 29 shootout outside the Oak Park Public Library, 834 Lake St.

That day, Reddins was handling patrol duties due to staff shortages when he responded about 9:30 a.m. to a call of an armed person seen leaving a Chase Bank. A police sergeant spotted a suspect walking down Lake Street alongside the library, which had been closed at the time of the shooting.

Footage from the sergeant's camera showed him approaching the man and asking "Can I talk to you for a second?"

The suspect responded, "How you doin'?"

The sergeant said, "Good, how are you?" before the man responded "I'm alright."

The sergeant then calls out to him, "Keep your hands. Don't reach, don't reach, don't reach, don't reach. Put your hands up."

Reddins can be heard issuing a similar command in his body camera footage.

The last thing the suspect said was "I have to go back home," before he's seen pulling out a gun and opening fire.

Reddins' body camera footage cuts off after the first shot, but in the sergeant's footage, at least six shots are heard before the suspect runs to hide behind a pillar near the library's entrance.

Multiple officers are heard calling out to the man to drop the gun and put his hands up.

Footage from another sergeant's body camera showed him approaching the gunman from the park and firing two shots before yelling out, "I got him."

The suspect drops to the ground and yells, "Ow, my leg."

Officers are seen approaching him, requesting an ambulance and applying a tourniquet to his injured leg.

Footage also showed an officer grabbing a gun that police said the suspect had thrown under a nearby bench.

After the shootout, Reddins was taken to Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, where he was pronounced dead at 40. He suffered a gunshot wound to his left side.

Reddins joined the Oak Park Police Department in 2019 after serving for two years as a Metra police officer. He became a detective in 2022.

Hundreds of police officers, family and friends attended his funeral last month at Apostolic Church of God in Woodlawn. He was remembered as a proud father and a caring friend.

“I knew immediately Allan was an asset to the Oak Park Police Department and to the Oak Park community,” Oak Park Police Chief Shatonya Johnson said during her eulogy.

“Allan was wise beyond his years,” Johnson added. “No one would have known he had just shy of eight years in this profession. His commitment to serving is unparalleled. His dedication to the department and to the Oak Park community was undeniable.”

Thomas was also taken to Loyola University Medical Center.

He is facing 56 felony charges including first-degree murder, attempted murder of a peace officer, possession of a stolen firearm and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

Thomas remains in custody and is expected to appear in court March 4.