The man killed in an officer-involved shooting in Niles on Wednesday was involved in a domestic situation with his pregnant girlfriend beforehand, according to a 911 call.

Tara Elkins called 911 on December 17, 2018, saying 35-year-old Matthew Burroughs was “waving his gun” in her face. She said he was in the process of throwing her out of his Royal Mall apartment over another man.

She told officers later that it started with a normal conversation that became heated when Burroughs got angry at something she said. At that point, she said he started yelling at her and grabbed his gun.

She said he also grabbed her shirt, causing her to fall down, and dragged her outside. Then he started throwing her clothes outside, according to a police report.

The argument between the two of them can be heard throughout the five-minute call.

When officers got to the apartment, they said they didn’t see a gun and, though Burroughs didn’t cooperate initially, he eventually opened the door for them.

Elkins explained to us on Thursday why Burroughs told her he had a gun.

“As a man protecting his house, he explained to me why he had the gun in his hand the day that I called was because I did call someone else to come and get me to help me because I was in a certain situation,” she said. “He said he would have never harmed me, he would have never hurt me and he would have never shot me or my son, and we got that cleared up.”

She said while Burroughs had a history, he was not a “hardcore criminal.” And, she said, he was beginning to turn his life around.

Assault and aggravated menacing charges related to this incident led to a warrant for Burroughs’ arrest.

At Niles Municipal Court on Wednesday afternoon, staff recognized him as having an arrest warrant. Police said he fled, almost running an officer over with his car.

They traced Burroughs’ car to the Royal Mall Apartments, where he was killed in an officer-involved shooting.