Wife Charged With Stabbing Building Custodian Michael Craig, Who Was Shot And Killed By Officer After Calling Police Himself; Son Wants More Answers
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A beloved Auburn Gresham building custodian called 911 back in October to say his wife had a knife to his throat – but when police arrived, the custodian was the one who was shot and killed.
Late Wednesday, we heard charges have been filed against the wife. CBS 2's Jackie Kostek spoke the custodian's son, who said he got a call from a detective Wednesday morning.
Patrick Jenkins said getting the call was bittersweet. He said he is glad charges have been filed, but frustrated that it took more than four months to happen.
"It shouldn't have taken from October 4th until now to charge someone that you had red-handed right at the scene," Jenkins said, "knife on the scene, blood everywhere."
It has been more than four months since Jenkins lost his dad, Michael Craig, who was shot and killed by Chicago police officer Alberto Covarrubias in an apartment in a building in the 7700 block of South Carpenter Street. On the morning of Oct. 4, Craig called 911, saying his wife had a knife to his neck.
"I can't move," Craig said in the call. "If I move, she's going to kill me."
Within seconds of entering the apartment, body camera footage shows officer Covarrubias drawing a Taser and a gun. And while Craig was the one who called for help, he was the one shot and killed.
Michael Oppenheimer, the attorney for Craig's family, said Craig had already been stabbed by his wife, Tiffany Willis, several times before police arrived. Chicago Police records show Willis was charged with aggravated battery Feb. 8.
"It's a bittersweet moment," Jenkins said. "I'm glad something happened, but, you know, it's only the beginning."
Jenkins and Oppenheimer say any semblance of justice will only come when key questions are answered regarding Officer Covarrubias.
"We're still looking for answers as to what possessed him to not only hold a Taser and a gun the same time, but as to why he shot the victim of this horrible domestic violence case," Oppenheimer said.
And Oppenheimer says he wants to know about possible additional body camera footage.
"Where's the body cam footage from this sergeant that was with officer who was with him when he shot Michael Craig not once, but twice?" he said.
For now, Jenkins is left to grieve his dad and watch as Craig's young son, still a child, does the same.
"I don't know if you've seen a little kid walking. He's by himself but he's always got that little teddy bear in his hand - just dangling it along," Jenkins said. "That was them. That was them. He's just a teddy bear now."
We reached out to Chicago Police about the status of Officer Covarrubias, and they said the investigation by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability is ongoing.
