DPPD Releases Video & Audio Recordings of Officer-Involved Shooting

Published on September 30, 2026

Des Plaines Police Department
1418 Miner Street
 Des Plaines, IL 60016
847.391.5400
desplainesil.gov

For Immediate Distribution: 
September 30, 2026

***UPDATE***

Des Plaines Police Release Video & Audio Recordings of the Officer-Involved Shooting

DES PLAINES, Illinois – On September 9, 2026, at approximately 2:32 p.m., a frantic resident of 2047 E. Touhy Avenue called 911 to request assistance from the Des Plaines Police Department because her son (Babidi) was threatening to kill her while having a bipolar manic episode. During the call, Babidi was breaking windows after the caller locked him out of the home for her safety.  

Sergeant Matthew Muchow, a 22-year veteran of the police department, was the first officer to arrive at 2047 E. Touhy Avenue. Muchow had his body camera powered on while en route to the scene and believed that he had put the camera into recording mode prior to exiting his squad car. Upon exiting his squad, he was immediately confronted by Babidi, who was walking aggressively toward him armed with an unplugged electric hedge trimmer.

Sergeant Muchow immediately began creating distance by backing away while giving multiple commands for Babidi to show his hands, to put it down, and to drop it or he would shoot. As Babidi aggressively approached the sergeant, he uttered statements believed to be religious in nature and yelled at the officer, “I’m not going to put it down. You put it down.” Babidi pursued Muchow across five lanes of busy traffic on Touhy Avenue before the sergeant fired two shots to stop the advancing threat and then a third shot when Babidi continued to advance. 

Sergeant Muchow and other officers immediately began providing life-saving medical aid to Babidi until Des Plaines Fire Department personnel arrived and took over.

The Major Crimes Assistance Team (MCAT) was contacted to conduct an impartial third-party investigation into the incident. MCAT works directly with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office to investigate incidents when an officer is involved in the death of an individual. Its investigation is to determine if any actions taken by the involved officer were criminal in nature and if the use of force was justified.

MCAT’s investigation has progressed to the point that audio and video recordings of the incident can be released. Included in the links below:

• The 911 recording from the resident at 2047 E. Touhy
• The video of Babidi taken from a third-party standing nearby prior to officers’ arrival
• The 911 recording of a third-party who reported the incident prior to officers’ arrival
• A video that links the squad car recording and home surveillance recording
• Sergeant Muchow’s squad car video of the incident
• A video from a nearby home surveillance camera
• The recording of the 911 dispatch information provided to responding officers

Per department policy, Sergeant Muchow was placed on administrative leave while the MCAT investigation is conducted. Five other officers who were near the incident were placed on administrative leave until MCAT could interview them. These five officers have now returned to full duty. Administrative leave does not reflect wrongdoing but allows for the MCAT investigation to progress as quickly as possible. Once the MCAT investigation has been completed, the Des Plaines Police Department will contract with a third-party investigator to conduct an administrative investigation into departmental policies and procedures related to the incident.

No additional information is available at this time. Updates will be provided when the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office has reviewed MCAT’s investigation and the City’s third-party investigation has been completed.

The City of Des Plaines Police Department extends its sincere condolences to the family and loved ones of Babidi during this extremely difficult time. Any loss of life is a tragedy, and we recognize the profound grief this incident brings to those affected. Our thoughts are with the family as they process this event, and we remain committed to a transparent investigative process conducted in partnership with MCAT and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office.

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Subject in Officer-Involved Shooting Was Armed with Electric Hedge Trimmer

DES PLAINES, Illinois – On September 9, 2026, at approximately 2:32 p.m., Des Plaines police officers responded to a report of a domestic disturbance at a home at 2047 E. Touhy Avenue.

Responding officers were notified by 911 dispatch that a male subject, later identified as Ayham Babidi, a resident of the home, was acting violently and breaking windows of the residence.

The first arriving officer stopped near the home in the roadway and encountered Babidi in the front yard of the residence, armed with an electric hedge trimmer. The subject immediately began approaching the officer brandishing the electric hedge trimmer in a threatening manner. The officer gave Babidi verbal commands to drop the trimmer, but Babidi refused and continued advancing aggressively toward the officer. The officer continued backing away from Babidi across the roadway into oncoming traffic while giving repeated verbal commands to drop the trimmer. Babidi did not stop his aggressive approach, and the officer then fired three rounds, striking the armed subject in an attempt to stop him. The officer immediately began providing life-saving medical aid until other police officers and fire department personnel arrived.

Footage of the incident came from the officer’s patrol vehicle’s dashcam and area residential security cameras. Due to the rapid escalation of the incident, the officer was not able to activate his body-worn camera before the confrontation. The Major Crimes Assistance Team (MCAT) recovered the electric hedge trimmer at the scene.

To maintain the integrity of the third-party investigation by the Major Crimes Assistance Team, the Des Plaines Police Department cannot release video footage of the incident at this time. Footage from the incident will be released as soon as it no longer compromises the active investigation.

Additional information will be provided as it becomes available. No further details are available at this time.

Subject Involved in Domestic Disturbance Shooting Identified

DES PLAINES, Illinois – The Des Plaines Police Department is releasing the identity of the subject involved in today’s domestic disturbance that resulted in an officer involved shooting:

• Ayham Babidi (21-year-old male) 2047 E. Touhy Ave. Des Plaines, IL 60018

Babidi was pronounced deceased shortly after the incident at an area hospital.

No further information is available at this time. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

Des Plaines Police Officer Involved in Shooting

DES PLAINES, Illinois – On September 9, 2026, at approximately 2:32 p.m., Des Plaines police officers responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 2000 block of Touhy Avenue. During the response, an officer-involved shooting occurred involving a male resident of the home.

The Des Plaines Fire Department immediately provided medical aid and transported the resident to a local hospital. The Major Case Assistance Team is investigating the incident and will conduct an impartial, third-party review.

No further details are available at this time. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.

For questions, contact Commander Matt Bowler at 847.391.6129

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Contact:

Commander Matt Bowler
Support Services Division
City of Des Plaines
1420 Miner Street, Des Plaines, IL 60016
P. 847.391.6129 C. 847.544.9599 W. desplainesil.gov