A violent attack at an Illinois assisted living facility ended when police fatally shot a chainsaw-wielding man who was threatening residents. The St. Charles Police Department identified the man as 41-year-old Daniel Escalera from Indiana.
On Dec. 1, officers responded to River Glen of St. Charles after reports of a shirtless man using a chainsaw to cut down a tree on the property. Before officers arrived, Escalera entered the nursing home lobby and began revving the chainsaw while confronting elderly residents.
St. Charles, Illinois
Chainsaw massacre averted at nursing home:https://t.co/ok1jU7kZiJ pic.twitter.com/PRndtJcZbz
— The Big C-O (@thebigC_O) December 2, 2024
Police said they tried to de-escalate the situation, but Escalera refused to cooperate and continued his threatening behavior. Officers used a Taser in an attempt to stop him, but when that failed, an officer fired their weapon, hitting Escalera. He was taken to a hospital but later pronounced dead.
Paul Ekstrom, whose 100-year-old mother was nearby during the attack, expressed relief that police arrived quickly. “Thank God for the police, they saved everyone,” he told WLS-TV. Other residents and officers sustained only minor injuries.
Nice. Local news. A lunatic just tried to kill residents of a nursing home and arriving police with a chainsaw
Shot and killed while attacking police https://t.co/GCqywslm5f
— mark safranski (@zenpundit) December 1, 2024
Escalera’s long criminal history included violent offenses such as assault and resisting law enforcement. Reports indicate he was on probation at the time of the attack but had violated the terms and should have been in custody. The reasons for his release remain unclear.
The incident has left the nursing home community shaken, with many residents and staff working to recover from the terrifying ordeal. Authorities have promised a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding Escalera’s release.
