Four Charged With Attacking Police Officers In Englewood

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Four people have been arrested for their involvement in an attack on police officers in the West Englewood neighborhood on Monday.

Police said officers were trying to arrest a suspect who had spit on an officer near 70th and Throop around 2:30 p.m. Monday, when another person threw a two-by-four, hitting an officer in the back of the head.

Two other officers chased the person who threw the wood into a nearby home, where other people inside locked the door, and began assaulting the officers.

When backup arrived a short time later, five people were taken into custody, Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said. Four have now been charged.

There is video on the arrest inside the home. Jeffrey Bacino, a defense attorney who represents one of the suspects, Senneca Traylor, said there are "two very different sides of this story."

"Our version is that the police have continually harassed this residence."

Police say it started when Traylor gave gang enforcement officers the middle finger and said something about being a cop killer.

According to police, when officers made a U-turn, Janice Lewis spit on the squad car and one of the officers.

Officers got out to make the arrest and Lewis ran into Traylor's home. That's when others in the home started to videotape what has happening. The video shows Traylor being arrested. At one point it appears some of the people inside were daring the officers to shoot.

Traylor's attorney is alleging officers used excessive force.

"It was very clear from my client's appearance that he was covered in bruises from head to toe," Bacino said.  Police say it was Traylor who threw the two-by-four at the officers.

Three officers were taken to the hospital, where they were treated and released.

Wednesday morning, police announced 19-year-old Traylor, 20-year-old Lewis, and 28-year-old Robert Williams have been charged in the incident. Later a fourth person was charged.

Traylor has been charged with four counts of aggravated battery to a police officer and two counts of resisting/obstructing a police officer.

Lewis has been charged with one count of aggravated battery to a police officer.

Williams has been charged with two counts of unlawful restraint and one count of resisting/obstructing a police officer.

Traylor and Williams were ordered held without bail at a bond hearing Tuesday afternoon. Lewis and a fourth suspect, Tawshawn Booker, who was charged with unlawful restraint for ordering residents to lock the doors, were given $10,000 bond with electronic monitoring.

In:
• West Englewood
• Chicago Police Department
• Crime