Small Illinois Community Remembers Officer Shot At Gas Station

Chicago IL

28 October, 2021

5:38 PM

Description

PONTOON BEACH, IL – A small-town police department near the Illinois-Missouri border is mourning the loss of one of its officers this week after he was shot to death at a Pontoon Beach gas station earlier this week. Officer Tyler Timmins, a long-time Madison County law enforcement officer, died at a St. Louis hospital on Tuesday after the Illinois State Police said Timmons was shot by a suspect believed to have stolen a car. Police said that Timmons was shot when he approached the vehicle and a suspect began shooting at him at a gas station which was located at the intersection of Highway 111 and Interstate 270, police said. Timmons, 36, died after being airlifted to a St. Louis hospital. Timmins was originally taken by ambulance to a Granite City hospital but was then flown to St. Louis. As of Thursday, the suspect – who was taken into custody at the scene – has not been identified. "The family of Officer Tyler Timmins mourns the loss of our son, husband, father, brother and friend," Timmins family said in a statement issued by the Illinois State Police on Thursday. "We would like to thank the law enforcement community and the thousands of others who have expressed their love, support and concern. Tyler was the epitome of compassion, empathy and caring throughout his life. He gained notoriety on October 26th when he was senselessly killed in the line of duty. To many he was a hero that day, for us he has been a hero since day one." Pontoon Beach is a village of of 5,800 people with a police force of 22 people. The Belleville News-Democrat reported that Timmins had been an officer in Madison County for 14 years and had worked for four different departments. He joined the Pontoon Beach department in 2020, the newspaper reported. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported this week that Timmins' body was escorted to the St. Louis medical examiner's office by a procession of police cars that stretched a half-mile long. "There are no words to describe what was taken from us," his family said. " We will always remember his devotion to his family, his dedication to his career and community, and the love and laughter that he shared with us."