Officer Wounded On Eisenhower Was Friendly Fire
CHICAGO (WBBM) - A Chicago police officer shot in the leg Sunday was the victim of friendly fire.
"It's unfortunate, but when you're around guns that happens," Weis said during a news conference on an unrelated topic Monday at Chicago Police headquarters.
Weis said the officer is in good condition at Stroger Cook County Hospital.
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Christopher Henry, 23, of the 2700 block of W. Lexington was charged and cited, for Sunday's incident, with 12 counts including 2 felony counts of aggravated battery and 1 count of resisting a peace officer.
The Independent Police Review Board continues its investigation into the shooting, near Francisco Avenue and Polk Street, adjacent to the Eisenhower Expressway.
Weis said Harrison District officers were the first to stop a van with three men inside. He said they saw guns inside, but could not tell they were paintball guns before the driver of the van allegedly sped off, aiming the van at the officers.
Two Ogden District officers heard the police radio traffic of the stop, saw the van exit the Stevenson Expressway at Damen Avenue and tried to curb the car for a second time. Weis said that only when the van rammed the officers' squad car were the officers able to order the men from the van.
At that point, Weis said, the shooting occurred.
"One of the weapons were raised up and one of the officers was in fear of his life," Weis said. "He fired, and unfortunately, he hit his partner."
Despite that, Weis said, the officers arrested the three men who had been in the van.
Weis said the department treats every such investigation as a chance to review departmental procedure, but said it is too early to determine if any change in training or tactics is warranted because of the shooting.
Christopher Henry, 23, of the 2700 block of West Lexington Street was charged with two counts of aggravated battery to a police officer, one count each of resisting a peace officer, aggravated fleeing and attempting to elude police. He was cited for disregarding a traffic light, operating a vehicle without insurance, leaving the scene of an accident, failure to obtain a license, improper traffic lane usage and failure to reduce speed.He was also wanted on an unrelated warrant for violating parole.
A 14-year-old boy was charged as a juvenile with aggravated assault to a police officer, according to a release from the Chicago Police.
