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SWAT standoff in Chicago's South Austin neighborhood draws heavy police response
A SWAT situation in Chicago's South Austin neighborhood lasted for hours after multiple suspects reportedly fled a police pursuit, with authorities yet to confirm additional arrests.
CHICAGO - Chicago police and SWAT officers spent several hours in the South Austin neighborhood on the city's West Side Wednesday investigating an incident that reportedly involved two suspects entering a home.
SWAT situation on West Side
The backstory:
Around 11:30 a.m., a massive police presence gathered near the 5200 block of W. Race Ave., prompting the Chicago Police Department to restrict access to several area streets.
SWAT officers in tactical gear were seen throughout the area, with a command center established on Laramie Avenue.
CPD has not yet released details about what led to the police response, but earlier in the day, witnesses say they saw officers pursuing a vehicle with several people inside.
Preliminary information suggests at least two suspects were taken into custody, while two others may have fled into a nearby home. Chicago police have not confirmed those details.
"This afternoon when I was getting off the Laramie bus, we saw police — it was like they were chasing a car. It was coming down from Chicago Avenue, and then they came down this way, and they turned down this street right here, which is Kinzie, and tried to go through this alley, but there was a milk truck right there. They couldn't get past, so they all jumped out of the car," said Terence Avery, who witnessed the incident. "They must have known the people, because they ran straight directly to the house."
SkyFOX captured aerial footage of SWAT officers surrounding the home. The police response continued for several hours, with traffic diverted away from the scene.
FOX Chicago also captured video of the vehicle, which appeared to have front-end damage, in an alley near Laramie Street and Kinzie Avenue.
Just before 4 p.m., the police response came to an end as officers cleared the scene.
Dig deeper:
The scene was just steps from Moving Everest Charter School, where early dismissal was scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
With the police investigation still underway, officers and school administrators met parents at a designated entrance to help get their children home safely.
What's next:
Police have not released details about what sparked the incident but confirmed it has ended and two people are in custody.
The Source: The information in this report came from Chicago police, witness accounts and video captured by FOX Chicago and SkyFOX.