On February 6, 2023, 21-year-old Azaan Lee was stolen from his family and community by the Rantoul Police Department.
Officers Jose Aceves and Rikki McComas escalated a routine encounter into a violent struggle, during which Illinois State Police claim Lee was shot by his own weapon. Aceves then fired three more shots as Lee fled. Moments later, Lee was found bleeding in a backyard. He was taken to Carle Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Two years later, we remember Azaan Lee and demand real justice — not empty words and rigged investigations, but true accountability for the officers and officials who allowed this to happen.
A Rigged Investigation to Protect Killer Cops
From the moment of Azaan’s death, the system worked to protect the officers who killed him. The Illinois State Police-led investigation absolved Aceves and McComas, claiming Azaan was shot by his own weapon during a struggle. The Rantoul Police Department’s Use of Force Review Board refused to hold Aceves accountable, merely recommending additional firearm training.
Meanwhile, the full findings of the internal investigation were hidden from public view until months later, only being released after journalists from the Invisible Institute and Illinois Public Media filed a Freedom of Information Act request.
The message was clear: the police do not investigate themselves; they protect themselves.
State’s Attorney Julia Rietz: Complicit in Police Violence
State’s Attorney Julia Rietz played a key role in ensuring that no officer faced consequences for Azaan’s murder. Even after damning audio surfaced of Aceves admitting, “I used his own weapon,” Rietz declined to pursue further investigation.
Her refusal to hold killer cops accountable is not an isolated event. Just months after Azaan’s death, she also refused to prosecute the Rantoul officer who shot and killed 18-year-old Jordan Richardson.
While Rietz shields police from accountability, she aggressively prosecutes activists, including University of Illinois students facing felony charges for Palestine solidarity protests, charges so outrageous that even the ACLU has denounced them.
Julia Rietz does not serve the people. She serves the system that enables police terror.
Jose Aceves: A Killer Cop Rehired and Protected
After killing Azaan Lee, Jose Aceves resigned from the Rantoul Police Department — but the system didn’t let him go far. Within five months, he was rehired by the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, despite never completing the firearm training recommended after his fatal shooting of Azaan.
Internal records show that law enforcement officials vouched for him, downplaying his history of poor judgment and even his role in Azaan’s death. While Aceves ultimately resigned before beginning work, the fact that he was hired at all exposes the depth of corruption in local law enforcement.
Instead of being held accountable, officers who kill are simply recycled through the system, ensuring that police violence remains unchecked.
The People Will Not Forget: We Demand Justice!
Two years later, the fight for justice for Azaan Lee continues. His murder was not an accident or an isolated event. It was a result of the racist, violent system of policing that prioritizes control and punishment over human life. From Rantoul to Chicago to Palestine, police exist to protect power, not people. We refuse to let Azaan’s name be forgotten, and we refuse to accept this cycle of violence. We demand:
- The indictment and conviction of Jose Aceves and all officers responsible for Azaan Lee’s death.
- The removal of State’s Attorney Julia Rietz for her complicity in police violence and political repression.
- The defunding of the Rantoul Police Department and investment in real community safety.
Justice will not come from the courts, the police, or the politicians who enable them. It will come only from working people engaged in organized struggle. We will not stop until we win. Justice for Azaan Lee! Justice for Jordan Richardson! Justice for all victims of police violence!
Prairie Liberation Center 