Suspect in death of Illinois deputy arrested after standoff

A man suspected of fatally shooting a sheriff's deputy and wounding a woman at an Illinois hotel was taken into custody Thursday after an hourslong standoff that began when he crashed his vehicle along an interstate highway, authorities said.

Floyd E. Brown, 39, was arrested hours after the crash in central Illinois, State Trooper Sean Ramsey said. Officers employed flash grenades to disable Brown after trying for hours to negotiate with him to surrender, police said.

Brown was taken to a hospital to be treated for several injuries. It wasn't immediately known what caused the injuries, Ramsey said.

An unidentified person is loaded on an ambulance from the Extended Stay America, the scene of a shooting, Thursday, March 7, 2019 in Rockford, Ill. Prosecutors in Winnebago County in central Illinois said they have issued a warrant against Floyd E. Brown, 39, for attempted murder in the shooting of the deputy, who police said was in critical condition. (Susan MoranRockford Register Star via AP)

Brown is accused of fatally shooting 35-year-old Deputy Jacob Keltner, a 12 ½-year veteran of the McHenry County Sheriff's Office. Keltner was pronounced dead at the hospital several hours after he was shot, spokesman David Dezane said.

Police said a 25-year-old woman described as an acquaintance of Brown suffered injuries that weren't life-threatening after being hit with one of Brown's rounds. She was treated at a hospital and released.

No shots were fired by law enforcement during the incident, authorities said.

An Illinois State Police Officer gears up in front of the Extended Stay America, the scene of a shooting, Thursday, March 7, 2019 in Rockford, Ill. Prosecutors in Winnebago County in central Illinois said they have issued a warrant against Floyd E. Brown, 39, for attempted murder in the shooting of the deputy, who police said was in critical condition. (Susan MoranRockford Register Star via AP)

McHenry County Sheriff Bill Prim called Keltner a "great guy" whose father and brother serve in law enforcement in suburban Chicago.

"Jake was a fine young man who leaves a wife and two young children," Prim said. "We are going to miss him."

According to Prim, Keltner was the first officer in the department to die in the line of duty in three years.

A police sharpshooter is in position where Illinois State Police and crisis negotiators are in a standoff with Floyd E. Brown, 39, of Springfield, on Interstate 55 near Lincoln, Ill. Thursday, March 7, 2019, after Brown allegedly shot a McHenry County sheriff's deputy attached to a U.S. Marshals Service task force in Rockford, then fled. His car was off the southbound lanes of the interstate and Brown was in and out of the car. (Rich SaalThe State Journal-Register via AP)

Prosecutors in Winnebago County in northern Illinois initially issued a warrant with $5 million bond against Brown for attempted murder. State's Attorney Marilyn Hite Ross said the charge was upgraded to first-degree murder after Keltner died. A spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office said Brown also will face a federal murder charge in the death of the deputy, who was assisting federal law enforcement when he was shot.

The shootings happened Thursday morning at a hotel as a U.S. Marshals Service fugitive task force tried to serve Brown with an arrest warrant for burglary and parole violation charges. Brown fled the hotel in Rockford, about 80 miles (129 kilometers) northwest of Chicago, and traveled about 170 miles (274 kilometers) south to Logan County in central Illinois, police said.

From 2009 to 2019, 73 officers were killed nationwide while attempting to serve warrants, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page, a nonprofit group that keeps track of officer fatalities nationwide.

Illinois State Police and crisis negotiators are in a standoff with Floyd E. Brown, 39, of Springfield, on Interstate 55 near Lincoln, Ill. Thursday, March 7, 2019, after Brown allegedly shot a McHenry County sheriff's deputy attached to a U.S. Marshals Service task force in Rockford, then fled. His car was off the southbound lanes of the interstate and Brown was in and out of the car. (Rich SaalThe State Journal-Register via AP)(Rich SaalThe State Journal-Register via AP)

This story has been corrected to show that Winnebago County is in northern Illinois, not central Illinois, and to show that police now say Brown is 39, not 45.

For the latest information on this story: https://apnews.com/37703a552df146109cb7b5cc771d3291

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 20, 2024--

Arajet, the low-fare Dominican airline, today announced its plans to enter the U.S. market in the second quarter of 2025 with flights from New York, Miami, and Puerto Rico. Arajet has received approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) under the Open Skies agreement between the Dominican Republic and the United States to bring these three key routes to the U.S.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241220178187/en/

“This is an important milestone and we are excited to officially launch in the United States next year,” said Victor Pacheco, CEO and founder of Arajet. “These routes will open more travel to the U.S., a very important market for the Dominican Republic, and our low-fare flights will provide new opportunities to grow tourism and business. We’re eager to welcome American travelers and its diaspora communities to the Dominican Republic and further establish the country as an exciting hub connecting to 16 countries in the Americas.”

Arajet has the largest passenger movement of all Dominican airlines, surpassing one million passengers in 2024 and flying over 100,000 passengers for several consecutive months. This represents more than 7% of the total number of passengers flying to and from the Dominican Republic, emphasizing the airline’s growing presence in the country's air market. The airline operates two hubs with connecting flights to 23 destinations, and since opening its second hub in Punta Cana, Arajet is projected as the most active Dominican airline.

“With Open Skies coming into effect today, Arajet’s routes to the U.S. are now approved to move forward,” commented David Collado, the Minister of Tourism for the Dominican Republic. “This is a huge victory and realizes our vision to enable all Dominican airlines to fly to more destinations and increase competitiveness with the most important market for the country.”

The Open Skies Air Transport Agreement between the Dominican and the U.S. represents an important achievement in air connectivity, eliminating restrictions on flight routes and frequencies between the two countries. American tourists can soon enjoy more affordable, direct routes to the D.R., which will promote economic growth in the country.

Ticket sales are expected to begin once final approval is received from the FAA. To learn more about the Caribbean's leading low-priced airline, visit www.arajet.com.

About Arajet
Arajet is the first low-fare airline in the Caribbean region. It began operations in September 2022 from its base at Las Americas Airport in Santo Domingo, under its Dominican Republic air operator certificate (AOC). Arajet operates a new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft fleet that provides safe and affordable travel to and from the Dominican Republic to various destinations in North, Central, and South America, and the Caribbean. For more information, visit www.Arajet.com.

Arajet expects to launch routes from New York, Miami, and Puerto Rico to Santo Domingo and Punta Cana in 2025. (Photo: Business Wire)