Jonathan Vargas has been a Rockford Police officer since May of 2013.

On December 30th, 2018, Vargas and his K-9 Nyx responded to a 911 call made regarding a vehicle that was taken with children inside. At the time of the call, the children were returned and vehicle had returned after driving less than one block.

Vargas went with Lawler to speak to the callers who described a black man without a shirt as the one who took the vehicle.

Lawler shared with Vargas the incident he responded to earlier in the day and identified the suspect as Kerry Blake.

Vargas and Lawler were both made aware of multiple past struggle Kerry Blake has had in the past.

Vargas was present for the entirety of the “standoff” with Kerry. Vargas was assigned to watch potential ways Kerry could leave the house.

He was at the scene when SWAT team officers snuck in the back to shoot and kill Kerry Blake.

In the afternoon of January 28th, 2024, Rockford Police officers responded to a domestic dispute in the 3000 block of Jacqueline Drive. There officers met and interview a woman who told officers that she and Malik “Sonic” Trotter got into an argument at her apartment.

She believed Malik to be high during the interaction and it ended when Malik began to gather up items in a garbage bag, including her cellphone, and left the building.

Malik told officers that upon exiting the building he seen a man approaching calling out to him. Malik said he wasn’t sure what this man wanted so he pointed a gun in the sky and fired to scare him away.

Rockford police officers told the woman to call 911 if she could locate her phone and two hours later she was able to. The phone was on 11th street in the area of BJ’s place.

Vargas was a part of the original group of officers that spoke to the woman and had been tracking Malik with his K9. Once the suspected location was broadcast to officers by dispatchers, Vargas went to the area.

Also responding was Sergeant Berke who drove right past Malik without noticing him. Vargas on the other hand, seen him and pulled over to the side of the road. As Vargas ran around to let his K9 out of the squad car, Malik took off running through backyards.

Malik had three backpacks and a large trash bag when the chase began but after a bag had gotten caught in the fences he hopped over and others he had to dispose of, he was down to one backpack.

Vargas and his K9 ran after Malik with Vargas repeatedly threatening Malik saying the dog was going to bite he continued to run. Malik jumped over a high fence which caused Vargas to stop to help his K9 over the fence before he jumped over.

Malik said the K9 caught him by biting onto his backpack and pulling him to the ground. Once one the ground, the K9 started to bite his hand. Malik repeatedly called out to Vargas to call the dog off. When Vargas didn’t, Malik shot three times killing the K9.

He then got up and ran across the street before Vargas could catch up.

When Vargas seen the K9 was dead, he immediately began shooting across the street at Malik. Vargas shot his full clip, reloaded then shot an additional six times towards Malik.

While he was shooting, he was yelling at Malik to drop the gun. When Malik was shot once in the leg, he threw his gun. Vargas continued shooting after Malik gave up his gun. He fired a total of 18 shots across the street in a neighborhood at Malik who he hit once.

Malik was arrested and charged with five counts of Attempted First Degree Murder, Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm at a Police Officer, Armed Violence, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Aggravated Battery of a Police Officer, and Killing a Police Animal

In 2019, Vargas made $76,743 in salary + $12,637 in overtime = $89,380 + $16,900 in health insurance + $30,497 in pension pay.

In 2020, they made $79,855 in salary + $14,577 in overtime = $94,432 + $16,900 in health insurance + $33,025 in pension pay.

In 2021, they made $89,256 in salary + $11,639 in overtime = $100,895 + $16,120 in health insurance + $34,932 in pension pay.

In 2022, they made $85,420 in salary + $14,043 in overtime = $99,463 + $16,900 in health insurance + $39,700 in pension pay.

In 2023, they made $95,347 in salary + $15,833 in overtime = $111,180 + $16,900 in health insurance + $46,059 in pension pay.

In 2024, they made $88,629 in salary + $11,812 in overtime = $100,441 + $17,550 in health insurance + $52,059 in pension pay.

In 2025, they made $99,641 in salary + $19,712 in overtime = $119,353 + $18,770 in health insurance + $60,429 in pension pay.

If you or anyone you know has been abused, harassed or otherwise mistreated by this officer please email us with the officers name in the subject.