Crash involving CPD cars kills 84-year-old woman

Image 1 of 3

Dwight Gunn and his mother, Verona Gunn, who was killed in crash involving two Chicago Police Department vehicles Saturday night. (photo provided by family)

An 84-year-old woman was killed in a four-car crash that involved two police vehicles on Saturday night.

A marked police van, SUV and “several civilian vehicles” were involved in the crash about 10 p.m. in the 1200 block of North Laramie Avenue in the Austin neighborhood.

The victim was identified by relatives as Verona E. Gunn. Her son, Bishop Dwight Gunn, told Fox 32 News on Sunday night that Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson had reached out to the family and assured him the crash was under investigation.

Gunn shared on social media: 

"Overnight my family experienced the loss of our Matriarch Verona E. Gunn through no fault of her own. While sitting at a stop light my sister's car was pummeled by 2 25th District CPD cars that collided into each other and then into my sister's car at Laramie and Division while my sister simply sat at the stop light. The internal injuries from the crash were too much for my 84 year old mother to overcome. My family will seek answers for the reckless behavior of the Chicago Police Department as we morn the loss of our mother."

Ten Chicago police officers and one other civilian were also injured. Initially, reports were that none of the injuries were serious.

The Chicago Police Department offered its sympathy, tweeting: "Our heartfelt condolences go out to the Gunn family over this devastating loss... CPD's Major Accident Investigation Unit is investigating the circumstances of this tragic accident."