State police have completed their investigation and Peoria County's top prosecutor has drawn his conclusions regarding the Sept. 20, 2017 police shooting death of Eddie Russell, Jr.

In short, State's Attorney Jerry Brady says six Peoria police officers were justified in drawing and firing their weapons during a situation in which it was reasonable for them to believe their health or lives — or of others — were imminently threatened. It was self-defense, notwithstanding that the 25-year-old Russell contended with mental illness — specifically schizophrenia, bipolar disorder — that may have contributed to his behavior, of which police were aware.

Two critical questions had to be answered here: One, was the use of potentially lethal force warranted in the first place? Two, was it excessive?

On the first, Russell had just robbed a bank — his face captured on video there, the money stolen later retrieved from his person — which is what prompted police to respond. What followed was two and half hours of attempted — if fruitless, one-way — negotiation at the home of Russell's mother, who also pleaded with him to surrender. When Russell finally, silently emerged, say police, he strode toward two groups of officers, ignoring commands to stop and put down his weapon — initially taken for a knife before he got close enough for them to see it was a handgun matching the description of the one used at the bank.

Police say he pointed it at them. Police later discovered the gun was cocked and loaded, though no evidence was found that it was discharged at the scene. A hail of gunfire ensued, with Russell first being shot at a distance of less than 10 yards. He continued to move forward, falling at about 11 feet from the nearest officer after trying to prop himself up on one elbow and reportedly reaching for his revolver, found at his feet.

Six officers scattered at three locations almost simultaneously came to the same decision. It was over in less than four seconds.

All things considered, we accept Brady's conclusion that police acted rationally and justifiably given the circumstances, tragic and unwanted though the outcome was.

The answer to the second question, whether the force was excessive, is murkier.

Six officers fired 19 shots from three locations, 17 or 18 of which hit their mark. One officer fired eight times, another four. One at the immediate scene did not shoot, later citing an obstructed view and the fact Russell was not directly headed his way.

According to case law, what matters is less the number of shots than what's sufficient to disarm, disable and eliminate the danger. Again, the shots came in rapid succession, the sound of them overlapping, making it seem on site like there were fewer. These are high-stress, adrenaline-flowing situations. It's hard to second-guess.

None of this may pacify the family that lost a loved one. We understand and express our sympathies. 

For us the overriding issue here is mental illness and what happens when that condition, a weapon and law enforcement collide, which Brady says is increasing in occurrence.

Are the protocols effective? Is more/better training required? Could the robot that was employed to transmit to its police operator if not record — that should be fixable — what was happening at the house have helped deliver a different result? Absolutely, all police officers should soon wear body cameras so there are fewer questions about what really happened and why.

And yet sometimes, with mental illness, all bets are off. Nothing may have changed this outcome.

We're saddened by it. We don't want a repeat. We hope all in a position to help take the steps to make one less likely.