Illinois General Assembly - Illinois Compiled Statutes

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720 ILCS 5/7-6

(720 ILCS 5/7-6) (from Ch. 38, par. 7-6)

Sec. 7-6.

Private
person's use of force in making arrest.

(a) A private person who makes, or assists another private person in
making a lawful arrest is justified in the use of any force which he would
be justified in using if he were summoned or directed by a peace officer to
make such arrest, except that he is justified in the use of force likely to
cause death or great bodily harm only when he reasonably believes that such
force is necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or
another.

(b) A private person who is summoned or directed by a peace officer to
assist in making an arrest which is unlawful, is justified in the use of
any force which he would be justified in using if the arrest were lawful,
unless he knows that the arrest is unlawful.

(Source: Laws 1961, p. 1983.)