An incident in Batavia in August 2025 that involved shots fired at police by a suspect with an AR-15 rifle, shots fired by the police at the suspect, and a single shot fired by the suspect in an apartment, resulted in a fatality; but the male suspect died after he took his own life with the single gunshot, according to the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office. The death occurred inside an apartment unit in Batavia, Illinois.
Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser has concluded her review of the August 16, 2025 fatal gunshot wound incident in Batavia that resulted in the death of one suspect, now identified as 39-year-old Michael J. Seidelman.
The investigation found that Seidelman’s death was a suicide carried out by a single self-inflicted gunshot wound, that no officer-fired rounds struck Seidelman, and that the use of deadly force by a Batavia officer and two Kane County sheriff’s deputies was justified and within the law.
The Police and Community Relations Act requires that officer-involved deaths be independently reviewed. Although this incident was not an officer-involved death (see 50 ILCS 727), three officers did employ the use of deadly force by firing into an apartment.
In the interest of transparency, an investigation was conducted by the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force and findings were reviewed by the State’s Attorney.
A full investigative report has been presented to both involved agencies. Authorities released video of the incident.
Batavia Critical Incident Video | August 16, 2025
The referred video involves content related to suicide and attempts to prevent violence by law enforcement officers as captured by their body cams. Viewer discretion is advised.
The investigation determined that on Saturday, August 16, 2025, around 3:45 p.m., Batavia police officers responded to a second-floor apartment on the 1200 block of E. Wilson Street in Batavia for a 911 call about a person harming himself while potentially in a mental health crisis. The person or suspect was later identified as Michael Seidelman.
Upon arrival, police officers tried to make contact with the male and heard two children screaming inside. Unable to breach the door, officers helped the children escape through the apartment’s balcony, and moved them to safety.
As deputies from the Kane County Sheriff’s Office arrived on the scene, the suspect began firing at officers from the apartment with an AR-15. Officers returned fire.
One Batavia officer and two Kane County Sheriff’s Office deputies discharged their weapons during the incident. However, no rounds fired by law enforcement struck the suspect. In total, Seidelman shot over 70 rounds in and outside the apartment.
A final shot was heard at approximately 4:00 p.m., after which no more shots were fired. Thirty minutes later, SWAT members entered the apartment and found Seidelman deceased.
An autopsy determined that he had died from a single self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. The investigation found that his death was not caused by officers.
After reviewing the findings of the investigation, State’s Attorney Mosser determined that the officers’ use of force in firing towards the suspect was justified because the officers would have had a reasonable belief that they and others in the vicinity were in danger of suffering great bodily harm or death.
The case has been turned over to the Batavia Police Department for any continued investigation.
“I commend the officers of the Batavia Police Department and the Kane County Sheriff’s Office for their swift and decisive actions that moved two children out of harm’s way. Their commitment to protecting the other apartment residents and their fellow officers was exemplary. I also thank the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force for their thorough investigation into this incident. Finally, while we recognize the courage of the officers, we must also acknowledge the profound loss experienced by Mr. Seidelman’s family. My heart goes out to them in this difficult time.”
— Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser
“The Batavia Police Department offers our sincere condolences to the friends and family of Mr. Seidelman. The Batavia community, our department, and all those directly or indirectly impacted by this situation continue to heal in the aftermath of this event. I am immensely proud of the men and women of our department who faced grave personal danger and acted with courage and professionalism to protect those involved in this situation and the community at large. We also thank the many other law enforcement agencies and fire department personnel who responded to this incident to provide assistance.”
— Batavia Police Chief Eric Blowers
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, support is available. Call or text 988 for free confidential support.
