FF man dies in assault
Jul. 1—A well-known local resident has died, following an incident where he was assaulted in Bloomington, Illinois, on Friday.
Fergus Falls resident James "Jimmy" Noplos was assaulted in a hotel parking lot on Friday, and passed away on Tuesday after receiving extensive medical care, first in Bloomington and then at OSF Saint Francis hospital in Peoria, Illinois.
Bloomington police say they responded to a report of an unconscious male at around 1 a.m. on Friday at a hotel on Brickyard Drive in the city. Police say it appears that there was some kind of altercation between Noplos and the suspect, Anthony Gillespie, 39, of Bloomington. During the incident Gillespie struck Noplos in the head causing him to fall to the ground and lose consciousness.
According to the family, Noplos was attending a family reunion in the area.
After speaking to witnesses at the scene and collecting evidence, Gillespie was
located and arrested.
Originally, Gillespie was charged with one count each of aggravated battery, great bodily harm, and two counts of obstructing justice. However, Bloomington police say there will be pending additional charges once the McLean County coroner has made their determination in the case.
Police say Gillespie remains in custody at the McLean County Jail. Bond is set at $500,000.
A GoFundMe site is currently being set up to help the family.
