Rantoul and Champaign Police officials say armed robbery suspect Darius Graves was shot by a Champaign SWAT teamleader, because he appeared to be holding a gun as he ran from his motel room after a standoff. The gun turned out to be a steel pipe wrapped in cloth, but the Champaign County State's Attorney says the shooting was "legally appropriate".

31 year old Darius Graves of Tennessee was fatally shot Tuesday by a Champaign Police SWAT team leader, as he exited a Rantoul motel room with what authorities say appeared to be a gun.

Since February, forty-three shooting investigations have been opened in Champaign-Urbana, and three shootings in only the last two weeks in Rantoul.