UPDATE: Donald J. Friese has been found in southern Missouri, according to U.S. Marshalls.

GRANITE CITY, Ill. – The Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office has filed charges in absentia against a man wanted for shooting a Granite City police officer.

The shooting happened just after 10 p.m. Tuesday in an alleyway at Delmar Avenue and 25th Street.

Two Granite City police officers responded to a home on the 2400 block of Delmar for a call about a suspicious person. ISP investigators claim that shortly after the officers made contact with that individual, he fired several shots at the officers, striking one of them in the arm.

The officers fired back and the suspect took off. The wounded officer was taken to a hospital and has since been released.

At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, Granite City Police Chief Nick Novacich identified the suspected shooter as Donald J. Friese.

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According to Novacich, Friese was charged Wednesday morning with two counts of attempted first-degree murder, one count of aggravated battery with a firearm, one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm, and one count of unlawful use or possession of a weapon by a felon. Friese remains at large.

Friese previously spent time in prison on a second-degree murder charge connected to a deadly car crash. He was sentenced to 12 years in prison. State officials said he was released on Nov. 24, 2020, but it’s unclear why.

“It’s very frustrating,” Novacich said. “These officers are out there risking their lives. They don’t deserve that to happen.”

In August, authorities charged Friese with aggravated fleeing but he was released from county jail in December pending the outcome of the case. During a pre-trial assessment hearing, the judge told Friese he was not allowed to have a gun.

“Criminals don’t play by the rules. I don’t expect him to play by any rule; even if he’s out on parole, probation, whatever, he’s not going to adhere to the rules because that’s not the way he’s structured,” Novacich said.

The chief believes Friese was injured when the officers returned fire. The wounded officer is a combat veteran and has about 10 years of experience. His partner has 2 1/2 years of experience and credits him with saving his partner’s life.

“You want to write a book on how to back a man up? This kid just did it,” Novacich said.

The chief said the officers were wearing body cameras and they were on at the time.

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