The Champaign County Prosecutor’s Office has released the findings of an independent investigation into the May 15, 2026, officer-involved shooting involving the Urbana Police Division. Prosecutor Kevin Talebi determined the officer’s use of force was legally justified and that no criminal charges will be filed against the officer involved.
The following information is from a press release issued by Champaign County Prosecuting Attorney Kevin Talebi:
“On May 15, 2026, an officer-involved shooting incident occurred wherein the officer in question fired a single round at Justin Beabout, striking Beabout in the leg. The shooting took place in the 300 block of West Church Street in the City of Urbana.
“Upon request, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) conducted an independent investigation into the incident. “Upon completion of their investigation, I met personally with the BCI investigators, reviewed their investigative findings, examined the available evidence, and evaluated the applicable Ohio law governing the use of force by law enforcement officers.
“The investigation established that Urbana Police Division officers initially responded to a domestic violence call after receiving information that Justin Beabout had assaulted his live-in partner, damaged property, armed himself with a large knife, and stated he had “a knife for” responding law enforcement officers.
“As officers attempted to investigate the domestic violence incident, Beabout approached officers while armed with the knife and made threatening statements. The officer in question, along with other members of law enforcement, repeatedly attempted to de-escalate the situation and issued numerous verbal commands directing Beabout to drop the weapon. Less-lethal force options, including tasers and pepper ball rounds, were deployed in an effort to safely resolve the encounter without the use of deadly force.
“Unfortunately, those efforts were ineffective and Beabout continued to threaten officers and disregard multiple commands to disarm. The encounter with Beabout continued to escalate. Beabout threw a knife toward law enforcement officers, nearly striking a responding Deputy and charged the officer in question. The officer defended himself, discharging a single round from his firearm striking Beabout in the leg.
“During a subsequent interview with investigators, Beabout admitted that he intentionally armed himself because he wanted to commit “suicide by police.” He acknowledged hearing the officers’ commands and intentionally disregarding them. Beabout further admitted throwing the knife toward officers and charging at them. Beabout also stated that the officers were not at fault for the shooting.
“Based upon the totality of the circumstances, the evidence demonstrates that the officer in question’s use of force was objectively reasonable and legally justified under Ohio law. I have come to this conclusion after carefully reviewing the investigative file, meeting with BCI investigators, and considering all of the evidence. I find that the officer in question acted lawfully, reasonably, and appropriately in discharging the weapon. Accordingly, no criminal charges will be filed against the officer in question arising from this incident.
“It should be noted, as a result of this incident, Mr. Beabout was convicted of Felonious Assault, a felony of the second degree. Mr. Beabout entered a guilty plea to the charge and was subsequently sentenced to prison for a minimum term of 6 years to a maximum term of 9 years.
“I want to thank the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation for its thorough and professional investigation of this matter. Independent investigations of officer-involved shootings are essential to maintaining public confidence by ensuring that these incidents receive a complete, impartial, and objective review.
“Having completed my review of the officer in question’s conduct I have determined that the use of force by the officer in question was legally justified and that the officer in question acted appropriately in discharging the firearm. The Champaign County Prosecutor’s Office considers this matter closed and this completes my review of the criminal investigation into this incident.”
–Prosecutor Kevin Talebi
