Chicago police investigating after they say officer's gun accidentally discharges during West Side arrest
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating after an officer's gun accidentally discharged during an arrest Thursday morning on the city's West Side.
The incident happened around 3 a.m. in the 200 block of South Cicero Avenue in the Austin neighborhood.
Chicago police said the discharge happened while officers were placing the suspects involved under arrest. No one was hit.
Police said they were monitoring a car wanted in connection with a robbery that happened in Gage Park.
According to police, three men were working outside in the 2800 block of West 59th Street when a red sedan pulled up, and two suspects approached with handguns and demanded their belongings. They then left the scene in the waiting sedan.
That car, a red Dodge Charger, was caught on surveillance video from a business on Cicero and Adams.
In that video, the Dodge driver was shown trying to drive around and evade police in the parking lot of a gas station on Cicero. As two police cruisers corner the car, two officers get out with their weapons drawn. The suspect then drives off camera but crashes into a fence shortly after.
The three suspects ran from the scene on foot, but after a brief chase, they were all arrested. During which, that's when police say an officer accidentally discharged their weapon, police said.
Two of the suspects were taken to area hospitals for observation. An officer was also taken to an area hospital for observation. A weapon was recovered on the scene.
The scene is expansive and remains active, covering Cicero and closing several streets around it to traffic. Cicero is closed until further notice between Madison and Jackson.
This is the second accidental shooting by an officer this month.
On Feb. 8, another officer accidentally discharged their weapon during an arrest just after 11 p.m. in the 2300 block of West Monroe Street.
No one was hit by the gunfire, but an officer was taken to the hospital for minor injuries, and the suspect was taken for observation.
