Suspect captured in Burlington, Iowa in June shooting that wounded Chicago Police officer in West Englewood
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A suspect was captured in Iowa Wednesday in a shooting that wounded a Chicago Police officer in West Englewood last month.
Jabari Edwards, 28, was charged with two counts of attempted murder of a police officer in connection with the incident on Wednesday, June 1, police Supt. David Brown announced.
He was apprehended in a cooperative effort with the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force and the U.S. Marshals, and was being held in jail in Des Moines Wednesday and was set to be extradited back to Chicago.
Edwards is accused of shooting an officer in the head during a traffic stop in the 6100 block of South Paulina Street at 6 p.m. June 1. During the traffic stop, the offender's car sped off before slowing down, police said at the time.
The offender became parallel to the officers and someone in the car fired two shots at the squad car – striking Officer Fernanda Ballesteros, 27.
Ballesteros' partner, who was in the passenger seat, drove her to the University of Chicago Medical Center in serious condition in the intensive care unit.
A police source said a bullet fragment hit Ballesteros' temple. A small piece went into her brain. There was no swelling, and the bleeding stopped on its own. Another part of the bullet went into her neck and shoulder. The officer was talking and alert after she was shot.
Ballesteros was released from the hospital after about five days of treatment and is now recovering at home.
Meanwhile right after the shooting, police said Edwards' vehicle crashed at 64th and Bishop streets after the shooting, and he ran off.
Chicago Police Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said witnesses helped police determine Edwards' path of flight. A gun was also recovered and matched to other cases which eventually led to Edwards, Deenihan said.
Without going into great detail, detectives said technology led them to Edwards.
"Specifically, I'm not going to comment on what led to this arrest, but the teams do a remarkable job to do everything they can to then identify and track these individuals," Deenihan said.
Edwards has a prior conviction for attempted robbery in 2012.
"We all are so glad to bring some sense of justice and peace to the mind if our officer as she continues to recover," Brown said.
Brown noted that so far this year, 34 Chicago Police officers have been shot or shot at in the line of duty.
Most recently, Officer Daniel Golden was shot while trying to break up a fight that spilled out of a bar in Beverly – and was left paralyzed after a bullet hit his spine. Three men have been charged in that case and have been denied bond.
"Brazen attacks against officers and violence in our communities is unacceptable," Brown said.
