PUBLICATIONS Inside Illinois Vol. 20, No. 13, Feb. 1, 2001

UI police officer shooting ruled accidental by ccoroner's jury

The New Year's Eve shooting death of a UI police officer was ruled accidental Jan. 25 by a Champaign County coroner's jury.

The officer, Collin Jay Harmon, 29, of Savoy, was pronounced dead at 12:09 a.m. Jan. 1 at Carle Foundation Hospital as the result of a gunshot wound to the head.

Harmon shot himself with another UI officer's gun around 11:30 p.m. that evening during a small party at that officerÕs home, according to Champaign police. A third UI officer and three women also were at the party and witnessed the shooting. Based on interviews with the five witnesses, investigators determined that the shooting did not appear to have been intentional.

Harmon had been at the party only about 15 minutes when the shooting occurred, and according to police had been socializing and drinking beforehand. Coroner Roger Swaney reported Harmon's blood alcohol level as being at 0.09 percent, just over the 0.08 percent legal limit for driving in Illinois.

UI Police Chief O.J. Clark said Jan. 25 that his department was conducting an internal investigation.