CAHOKIA, Ill. — Authorities say an off-duty police officer fatally shot a wanted man outside a southern Illinois Wal-Mart store after the man drove his vehicle into a squad car and nearly struck several pedestrians.

Cahokia Police said in a news release that the Washington Park officer fired at the man’s vehicle as it barreled toward him late Monday afternoon. The 35-year-old man from Centerville, Illinois, was shot but he drove for about a mile before striking a median. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The release says there was a warrant out for the arrest of the man on several charges including being a felon in possession of a weapon.

KMOV has identified the off-duty officer as Chris Heatherly. Heatherly, who is currently employed part-time with the Washington Park Police Department, was previously employed as a police officer by the Wamac Police Department.

We reported in 2015 that State and St. Clair County authorities raided the Brooklyn Police Department after Heatherly was accused of taking an assault rifle from the evidence locker and was keeping the weapon in his car.

St. Clair County State’s Attorney Brenden Kelly said in a letter at that time to Brooklyn’s mayor that his office would not prosecute cases handled by Heatherly, citing credibility issues with Heatherly as either an investigator or a material witness.

KMOV reports that Kelly said that is still the case, but at Heatherly’s request his office has started reviewing the circumstances to reassess Heatherly’s credibility as a police officer.