Chicago Police officer killed in shootout on city's South Side
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Chicago Police officer was killed in a shootout in the East Chatham neighborhood Monday night.
At 8 p.m., officers stopped a vehicle with three occupants in the 8000 block of South Ingleside Avenue. As officers approached, one of occupant opened fire on an officer with what sounded like rapid gunfire, according to police Supt. Larry Snelling.
The officer was struck multiple times. An occupant of the vehicle was also struck by the gunfire and killed, Snelling said.
Snelling said this occupant was believed to have been killed "by the gunfire that was released in the vehicle."
The person who shot the officer tried to flee in the vehicle, but could not escape and fled on foot, Snelling said.
Another person in the rear seat of the vehicle was taken into custody by the officers. After a foot pursuit and a search for the shooter, he too was taken into custody, Snelling said.
The person who was killed in the shooting had a handgun, Snelling said. A semiautomatic weapon was also recovered at the scene.
One officer also fired his weapon at the scene, Snelling said.
The officer who was shot was driven to the University of Chicago Medical Center by fellow officers, and he died at the hospital, Snelling said.
"What I do want to say is that our officers go out and they face this type of danger every single say, and this work is unpredictable, and we never know what's in store for our officers when they're out there trying to keep the public safe," Snelling said.
Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke at a news conference at the medical center alongside Snelling.
"This young officer courageously protected this city. As the family continues to grieve—the shock, the anger that they are feeling—I'm calling on all residents of this city to pray for this family," Johnson said.
Snelling said the officer who was killed was 26 years old and was just shy of three years on the job.
Snelling also confirmed police have information that one of the suspects had cut off their ankle monitor, but this issue remained under investigation.