Galesburg Reporter

A roadway has been renamed to honor a school resource officer who prevented a high school shooting incident.

On May 30, Lincoln Statue Drive in front of Dixon High School was renamed “Mark Dallas Way,” May 30 to honor the school resource officer who prevented a school shooting May 16, 2018, according to a May 31 Shaw Local report.

"Five years ago Mark Dallas became a hero," Sen. Win Stoller wrote in a May 30 post on Facebook. "As a school resource officer, he responded within seconds to an active shooter at Dixon Public Schools #170. Because of his bravery no one was injured. Today, the road in front of the school was named in his honor. Well-deserved recognition. Congratulations Mark!"

WIFR reported in August 2019 that Dallas was awarded the title of National Officer of the Year by the American Police Hall of Fame and Museum. The news outlet further mentioned Dallas retired from the position of Dixon school resource officer before the start of the 2019-20 school year.

In 2018, WIFR reported Dallas confronted 19-year-old former student Matthew Milby in the hallway and the two exchanged fire. Dallas said his shot struck Milby in the shoulder.

"I couldn't believe it," Dallas said, according to WIFR. "But being mad, being a dad and being the patrolman, the SRO there, I wasn't gonna let him get away. I was sitting in our athletic director's office talking to our athletic director and his secretary when I heard several shots ring out."

According to a report by KWQC, Milby entered a guilty plea in July 2022 for charges of aggravated discharge of a firearm toward a peace officer and aggravated discharge of a firearm in a school building. In October 2022, he received a 30-year prison sentence, with both charges to be served concurrently. 

He will be given credit for the time already served and must serve at least 85% of the 30-year sentence, KWQC reported. As part of the plea agreement, other charges, including attempted murder, were dropped in exchange for Milby's guilty plea.

In 2020, the Dixon Police Department announced in a Facebook post that Dallas was honored by the Illinois Juvenile Officer’s Association for his efforts. 

"Officer Mark Dallas was presented with the Illinois Juvenile Officer's Association 2019 Juvenile Officer of the Year Award today for his heroic actions on May 16, 2018, and his overall commitment to the students at Dixon High School," Dixon Police Department wrote in the Facebook post. "Congratulations, Officer Dallas."