A Lake County, Illinois coroner has ruled that the death of a Zion teen shot twice in the back by a police officer was a homicide.
Coroner Thomas Rudd’s official autopsy report also said that Justus Howell, 17, had marijuana in his system. His blood alcohol level was below the legal limit registering at .035.
“He had a little alcohol in him, but there was nothing that indicated he was inebriated,” Rudd told the Chicago Sun Times.
Howell, who tested negative for all other drugs, was shot on April 4 near 24th and Galilee, according to police. A handgun was recovered from the scene.
Witnesses told the Sun Times that Howell was not armed at the time of the shooting.
