Narrative
On 07-29-2025 at approximately 1540hrs, I heard McHenry County sheriff’s dispatch center broadcast an evolving incident occurring along Hickory Nut Grove Rd near the Lyons Prairie-Marsh conservation area.
In summary, an adult, male subject operating the described vehicle had reportedly attempted to abduct two female juveniles and when confronted by other adults the subject had displayed a gun.
The subject had reportedly been observed entering a “forest preserve” off of Hickory Nut Grove Rd, then last seen northbound in the vehicle.
I radioed McHenry County Sheriff’s Dispatch and advised that I would be enroute to the area to check several MCCD conservation sites nearby.
Ofc. Vargas, also in the area at the Hollows conservation site, advised he would be enroute as well.
I drove eastbound Rt14 to eastbound Three Oaks Rd, then north on Silver Lake Rd to eastbound Crystal Lake Rd, watching for the subject’s vehicle.
I arrived at the Fel-Pro RRR site and knowing the east entrance lot was a location designated for parents to pick-up their children from a Cary Park District summer day-camp, proceeded to check that area first.
As I passed the west entrance, I noted several vehicles parked in the lot.
In the east entrance lot, I observed several children and camp counselors waiting by the trailhead and lot.
The subject’s vehicle was not located there and after making visual contact with the counselors, I
left that lot.
Returning to the west entrance parking lot at approximately 1554 hrs, I immediately observed a vehicle matching the description provided, a black Ford sedan, and upon approaching closer confirmed it to display the registration plate of the subject’s vehicle.
I also observed a male subject seated in the driver’s seat, possibly using/looking at a cellular telephone.
The male subject’s appearance matched the physical description provided by dispatch as the subject involved.
I advised dispatch via radio that I had located the vehicle and that it was occupied within the parking lot.
I positioned my police vehicle at the northeast corner of the lot to maintain surveillance of the subject, vehicle and other vehicles in the lot.
At approximately 1557 hrs, McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy Crawford (S603) arrived at the Fel-Pro west entrance parking lot and pulled in behind my police vehicle with his own.
I led Dep. Crawford to position our vehicles for a high-risk stop approach as the subject was reportedly armed with a firearm.
I parked my vehicle to the rear driver’s side of the subject’s vehicle and Dep. Crawford parked his along my passenger side and to the rear of the subject’s vehicle.
We both exited our vehicles, and I drew my service pistol, pointing it toward the subject to engage as the contact officer.
I shouted toward the subject, who remained seated in the vehicle with the driver’s side door window open.
I advised him to place both hands on the steering wheel of the vehicle, which he did.
I then began to instruct the subject to turn off the vehicle’s engine when the subject lowered his right hand out of sight.
He immediately raised his hand again, holding a pistol, placed the pistol beneath his chin and discharged a cartridge upward into his head.
Dispatch was advised that a shot had been fired by the subject and that he had shot himself in our
presence.
Dispatch alerted Fire Rescue units to respond to the scene.
Ofc. Vargas arrived at this time, and I directed him to identify the occupants of another vehicle that was within the parking lot.
Dep. Crawford and I approached the subject’s vehicle and cleared the remaining areas of any additional occupants, finding none.
I could also see that the subject, now known to be M. Porter was [redaction].
He displayed no signs of life.
The firearm used was observed to be on the floor of the driver’s side between M. Porter’s feet.
Cary Fire Rescue units arrived at approximately 1601 hrs.
Paramedics requested police secure the firearm before they made contact with M. Porter.
I opened the driver’s side door and with a gloved hand removed the pistol, now known to be a Ruger .357 revolver.
I secured the pistol in a paper bag in my police vehicle as it was recovered.
Cary ambulance crew #252 removed M. Porter from the vehicle and transported him to Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, where he subsequently was pronounced deceased.
Members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department, including Deputy Michael Wickey and Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli arrived on the scene as did several other deputies from the McHenry County Sheriff’s Department.
In summary, Lake County SO advised they would be investigating the reported attempted abduction and brandishing of a firearm that occurred along and near ickory Nut Grove Rd (see Lake County SO report 25-100924), and it was agreed MCCD police would investigate the death of M. Porter that occurred in the conservation district site.
MCCD Chief Stewart, Sgt. Wolfe, Ofc. Bukovsky, Ofc. Donahue and Ofc. Cora arrived on the scene and took over collection of any evidence, scene photographs and removal of the vehicle from the site.
See MCCD supplementary reports. Members of the Lake Co SO and McHenry County SO made contact with the parents of M. Porter at their residence.
They had reportedly been contacted by staff at Good Shepherd Hospital and made aware of M. Porter’s
passing.
Chief Stewart checked my duty pistol on-scene to ensure no cartridges had been fired by me. (see Chief Stewarts BWC footage)
All MCCD Police that responded to this incident recorded footage on BWC’s including my own which captured the initial contact with M. Porter and his self-inflicted gunshot wound.
I turned over my BWC to Sgt. Wolfe before being released from the scene.
Sgt. Wolfe transported my BWC to MCCD headquarters where he downloaded the footage from this incident.
On 07/30/2025 I received copies of the written statements provided by the participants of the original incident from Lake County SO Dep. Wickey (see attached) Lake County Deputy Coroner D. Strickland requested a copy of the BWC footage from my
Supplement
…On the front passenger seat, we removed a black backpack. Inside the backpack was a rubber Halloween style skull mask and a black knit winter hat.
Also in the backpack was a zip lock style plastic bag filled with small pieces of wood and balled up wood
shavings that appeared to be used as fire starters, along with a small folding pocketknife.
There was also a camping style battery powered lantern.
There were miscellaneous personal and toiletry items in the backpack.
Under the backpack on the passenger seat, we located a small black Swiss Army brand fabric bag that was filled with various over the counter medications and a pack of Marlboro cigarettes.
On the front passenger seat floor there was a fabric cooler bag that contained bottled water and cooling ice packs.
There was also an iPhone cellular telephone that was in a phone holder mounted to the center console.
There was a small metal hatchet that was located wedged between the driver’s seat and the center console…
The black backpack which contained a flashlight, water filtration straw and a screwdriver.
