CHICAGO (CBS) — A Chicago Police officer was shot and wounded late Thursday afternoon in the Brighton Park neighborhood, after chasing a suspect in the shooting of a security guard at a Home Depot.
A Chicago Police officer was shot and wounded late Thursday afternoon in the Brighton Park neighborhood, after chasing a suspect in the shooting of a security guard at a Home Depot.
As CBS 2’s Charlie De Mar reported, the officer walked out of Mount Sinai Hospital just hours after being shot – showing his fellow officers he was all right. He was able to walk on his own as he left.
The officer was greeted by a procession of dozens of officers saluting him as he drove off, CBS 2’s Charlie De Mar reported.
Cpd officer on his way home tonight hours after he was shot in the shoulder.
He was greeted by a procession of officers saluting him as he drove off. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/oRfUZ6S4E6
— Charlie De Mar (@CharlieDeMar) March 26, 2021
“The entire Chicago Police Department breathes a collective sigh of relief tonight as our injured officer is released from the hospital after being shot in the line of duty,” the CPD said on Twitter Thursday night.
The entire Chicago Police Department breathes a collective sigh of relief tonight as our injured officer is released from the hospital after being shot in the line of duty. #CPDMediaCar pic.twitter.com/awCDtvAq3v
— Chicago Police (@Chicago_Police) March 26, 2021
Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said the officer was shot in the shoulder around 4 p.m. in the 2400 block of West 46th Street. He was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The chain of events started with a shoplifting at the Home Depot at 4555 S. Western Blvd., Brown said. The shoplifting suspect got into a struggle with a loss prevention security officer at the Home Depot, and the suspect shot the security officer, Brown said.
The security guard was “gravely” wounded, Brown said. The guard was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center.
The suspect fled, and officers were called to pursue him, Brown said. The officer who was shot was the first on the scene, and he was shot almost immediately, Brown said.
With the officer down, other officers attended him to get him to the hospital while other officers continued pursuing the suspect, Brown said.
Officers caught up to the suspect in a backyard, where there was another shootout in which the suspect was shot, Brown said. The suspect was pronounced dead on arrival at an area hospital.
Andy Korolenko heard those last shots outside his home.
“I had to hold onto my mom because, because my mom has PTSD. She’s been shot before,” Korolenko said. “I had to hold onto my mom – like grip her, like tight.”
Brown noted that this was the fourth officer shot in the past two weeks.
On Saturday, March 20, a female officer was shot in the hand by a suspect in the 100 block of North LaCrosse Avenue in the South Austin neighborhood. The person who police believe was on the other end of the gun surrendered after an hours-long standoff.
On Monday, March 15, an off-duty officer was shot and seriously wounded in the Calumet Heights neighborhood. The off-duty officer was at a light at 89th Street and Stony Island Avenue when two people in a Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross started shooting directly at his vehicle.
The officer was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center following the shooting. A doctor at the hospital said the officer sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen.
On Sunday, March 14,, a CPD officer was shot outside the Gresham (6th) District police station and suffered a graze wound to the chin. The sergeant, a 26-year-veteran of the department, was released from the hospital Sunday night.
Brown said he gets questions all the time about what Chicago Police officers are doing to stop gun violence and crime in the city.
“What we are doing is risking our lives every day to protect this city. That’s what we are doing, and the brave, courageous men and women of the Chicago Police department are unmatched – the most talented department in the city,” Brown said.
Brown added that violent criminals are acting with impunity – not only shooting civilians, but also officers, for whom he said they do not have respect.
Brown talked to his officers at Mount Sinai Hospital Thursday evening, as yet another faced the reality of the job.
“I can’t say enough of how much courage and bravery it takes to run toward bullets,” Brown said.
The brave officer who was wounded on Thursday did not cower from those gunshots. Now he is resting at home until he can get back on the streets.
All of the officers who fired shots will be on desk duty as per the standard. The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating.