By Jim Hagerty
Reporter

ROCKFORD – The suspect wounded in a shootout with Winnebago County deputies last week has been identified.

Officials say the shooting happened at around 11 a.m., Oct. 24, at the Fas Fuel station on the corner of North Main Street and Halsted Road.

Deputies attempted to detain 26-year-old Wainer Sousa-Ancheta after the vehicle he was riding into pulled station. Instead of complying, police say Sousa-Ancheta, who was wanted on drug charges, produced a gun and fired a shot at the officers. Five deputies returned fire. Sousa-Ancheta was wounded and treated at a local hospital. He’s currently been released and is lodged in the Winnebago County Jail.

The female driver of the suspect vehicle was not charged.

The deputies who returned fire are Charles Grasley, Brad Kaiser, Fred Jones, Jake Marino and Stan Metzler, the Winnebago County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday. It is unclear how many times Sousa-An cheta was struck or which deputies’ shots hit him. The deputies were placed on administrative leave following the incident.

According to court records, Sousa-Ancheta is charged with possession of 10 to 30 grams of cannabis and manufacture or delivery of 1 to 15 grams of cocaine. Charges connected with the shooting are pending an investigation by the Winnebago-Boone County Integrity Task Force. R.