Two Chicago police officers shot during South Side traffic stop; suspect critically wounded
Two Chicago police officers shot during South Side traffic stop; suspect critically wounded
A traffic stop on Chicago's South Side ended in a shooting Friday that left two police officers and a suspect hospitalized, authorities said.
CHICAGO - A traffic stop on Chicago's South Side ended in a shooting Friday that left two police officers and a suspect hospitalized, authorities said.
What we know:
The shooting occurred about 5 p.m. in the 2000 block of East 79th Street.
Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said two officers stopped a vehicle that appeared to be homemade.
During the stop, the suspect fled on foot. Officers pursued the suspect and caught up with him after a brief chase in the 7900 block of S. Chappel. A struggle followed, during which the suspect reached into a shoulder bag, pulled out a handgun and fired, striking one of the officers, Snelling said.
The wounded officer returned fire, striking the suspect, authorities said.
FULL PRESS CONFERENCE: Chicago police give update on shooting that left 2 officers, suspect hospitalized
Two Chicago police officers and a suspect are hospitalized after a shooting on Chicago's South Side on Friday.
The second officer also was shot in the arm during the exchange, but the bullet was stopped by the officer's ballistic vest, Snelling said.
"Thank God for his vest that saved his life under these circumstances," Snelling said.
Both officers were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center and are expected to recover.
The suspect was taken to Northwestern Hospital in critical condition, Snelling said.
Police recovered the handgun.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not identified the suspect and said it remains unclear how the second officer was shot.
The officers also have not been identified. Snelling said both have served on the force for four years. One officer is 30 years old and the other is 27.
What they're saying:
"I just want to say once again that our officers are working really hard out here to keep down violence and they face this type of violence every single day," Snelling said.
Mayor Brandon Johnson also addressed the shooting during Friday's news conference.
"Tonight we are grateful for the hard dedication of our Chicago Police Department. These two officers exhibited a great deal of bravery, courage and strength. I had the chance to meet with both of the families as well as one of the officers and they are in good spirits but as you can imagine, they are pretty devastated and upset. These two officers are sons, brothers, and public servants. They're CHicagoans and I'm eternally grateful again for the commitment of our entire police department, the leadership of the police department," Johnson said.
What's next:
The officers involved in the shooting will be placed on routine administrative duties for at least 30 days, according to the department. The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the Civilian Office of Police Accountability at 312-746-3609 or visit the agency's website.
The Source: The information in this article was provided by the Civilian Office of Accountability and the Chicago Fire Department.