Sixteen police officers from across Illinois were awarded the state's Medal of Honor Friday in Springfield. One officer had previously been honored as state trooper of the year.
In April 2013, State Trooper Brad Williams responded to a five-victim homicide in the tiny village of Manchester, in Western Illinois. Traveling by motorcycle, he chased the suspect for miles, joined by dozens of other officers along the way.
In the end, the suspect stopped his car and shot at police. Williams pulled his weapon and fatally shot the man.
Now 14 months removed from the incident, Williams says he prefers the quiet days to the one for which he received the Medal of Honor.
"The everyday stuff is great because usually every day is nice and slow," he said. "But, as every police officer's got to be ready to go back to doing the same thing, more of a worse thing, more of an intense thing."
Williams has been with the Illinois State Police for seven years. Friday's ceremony also honored two officers killed in the line of duty: James Sauter of the State Police and Pontiac Police Officer Casey Kohlmeier.
