Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said around 9:15 p.m. Wednesday, in the 1200-block of South DuSable Lake Shore Drive, the officers involved in this incident saw a car that was identified by a license plate reader in connection to a murder.
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"CPD was investigating a vehicle wanted in a double homicide in South Holland, I believe October 8th [and]ended up at this location," said Lyons Police Chief Thomas Herion.
A police helicopter was called in to track the car, and it led officers to Lyons, where the vehicle had stopped in the 8000-block of Ogden Avenue at a gas station to fill up.
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When the people in the car came out of the gas station, officers surrounded them, Brown said. A struggle then ensued and one of the officers, who had his handgun out during the struggle, accidentally discharged the weapon. Brown said they believe that gunshot struck both of the officers injured during the incident.
"The offender comes out. Our officers surround this offender, a struggle ensues [and] one of our officers who had his handgun out during the struggle has an accidental discharge," Brown explained.
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The officers were taken to MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn and later transferred to Loyola Medical Center.
Brown said one officer was struck in the arm and the other in the shoulder. He said they believe the bullet went through the first officer before striking the second.
Both officers' injuries are not life threatening, Brown said. He said the officers are in "decent to good condition," based on what he saw
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Brown emphasized that this was not an active pursuit by the officers in their cars; instead the helicopter followed the suspect vehicle and then directed officers where to go.
Brown and Herion said the two people in the car that police were pursuing were both placed into custody. One is a man, the other is a woman, though further details were not released.
Herion said a gun was recovered in the car, as was a large amount of narcotics.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability will investigate the officer-involved shooting, and the officer whose gun went off will be placed on administrative duty for 30 days as per protocol. Brown said that could be longer, depending on a number of factors, and noted the officer whose gun went off is distraught by what happened.