Chicago police officer fires gun during West Side traffic stop

Chicago police officer fires gun during West Side traffic stop

A Chicago police officer fired their gun during a traffic stop early Monday on the city’s West Side, though no one was struck.

CHICAGO - A Chicago police officer fired his gun during a traffic stop early Monday on the city's West Side, although no one was struck.

What we know:

The shooting happened at around 12:38 a.m. in the 4700 block of West 5th Avenue, where two uniformed officers were on patrol and observed a parked vehicle with a man sleeping inside.

As the officers approached the vehicle, they reported seeing a gun on the man's lap and called for backup. They then tried to engage with the man, which led to one of the officers firing his gun.

Police said neither the officers nor the man were injured by the gunfire, but the vehicle was struck multiple times. Both officers were taken to a local hospital for observation.

The man was treated by paramedics at the scene for minor cuts suffered by broken glass. He was later taken into custody and a gun was recovered, police said.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating the shooting.

What's next:

The officers involved have been placed on routine administrative duties for at least 30 days as the investigation continues.