Police said the shooting ended a police pursuit of two teenage suspects in a stolen car, both of whom were armed.
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Dolton police said the pair pulled guns on the elderly driver of a Lexus SUV in south suburban Hazel Crest, then took off.
"My officer spotted that vehicle in question at the corner of Sibley and Greenwood. When he got behind the vehicle, apparently the driver must have noticed the squad car was behind him took off driving at a high rate of speed," said Chief Robert M. Collins, Jr., Dolton Police Department.
The chase continued onto the Bishop Ford, where police said the SUV picked up speed and sideswiped a semi. After striking the truck, shortly after 2 p.m., police said the two teens bailed out of the car near 130th Street and took off on foot.
"My officer, in fear for his life, discharged his weapon in the direction of the offender, striking the offender. The offender collapsed and dropped his gun right there at the scene," Collins said.
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The other teen, police said, kept running. The northbound lanes of the freeway were closed and armed officers blocked the ramp. K-9 units searched the bushes for the second suspect. It took officers two hours to find him.
"We did find a second weapon at that crime scene," Collins said.
The suspect who was shot was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and died during surgery, police said. The second suspect, who is 17, remains in Dolton police custody. Charges are pending.
The northbound lanes of the Bishop Ford reopened around 8:45 p.m.