Charges filed in shooting involving off-duty Chicago Police officer; video shows aftermath
CHICAGO (CBS) -- New video documents what happened after a shooting involving an off-duty Chicago Police officer in Belmont Cragin this week.
Meanwhile, charges have been filed against a man suspected of pointing a gun at the officer. Michael Martinez, 28, is charged with one felony count of being an armed habitual criminal.
Martinez had already been on electronic monitoring since June 2021 when police said he was involved in the shooting with the off-duty officer.
As CBS 2's Sabrina Franza reported Friday, sources say the off-duty officer was at an Amoco gas station at Laramie and Grand avenues just after 8:15 a.m. Wednesday when an unknown person pulled a gun out.
In response, the officer fired, sources said.
It remains unclear whether that person was injured in the shooting - and the announcement by police of the charges against Martinez did not indicate anything on that subject one way or another. But video does show the moments after it happened.
In the moments after our sources said the off-duty officer fired his weapon, police were seen on surveillance video combing through the entire intersection.
"It was like about 10 shots," said Ali Shariff, who works across the street.
We counted at least 10 evidence markers at the scene.
Shariff's parking lot was blocked off for hours while the investigation was under way. He ran to look after he heard the gunshots – and said the gas station looked as calm as ever.
"I mean, I see the street normal – you know, nothing - a car," Shariff said. "It's as if nothing happened."
Meanwhile, at a second scene on Fullerton Avenue, a car was found with bullet holes on the side. It is unclear how many people were in that car, but an officer on the scene told us that one person went to the hospital. It was unclear Friday if that person was Martinez.
Sources told us police did question one other person before they arrested Martinez.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is conducting a use-of-force investigation.
The officer involved was placed on administrative duty for 30 days, as per protocol when an officer fires shots.
