Mayor Lightfoot's security details exchanges shots with NW Side robbery suspect, police say
Armed robbery victims included men taking children to school, man heading to work
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago police officers on Mayor Lori Lightfoot's security detail exchanged shots with an armed robbery suspect in the Logan Square neighborhood Tuesday morning, police said.
Officers with the Detached Services Unit observed a robbery in progress in the 1800-block of North Monticello Avenue at about 7 a.m. and encountered several suspects, police said.
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One of the suspects was armed and exchanged gunfire with officers but no one was struck, police said. One officer suffered minor injuries and was taken to a hospital for treatment.
The incident was part of an armed robbery spree on the city's Northwest Side Tuesday morning. One of the victims was a grandfather who was robbed while taking his grandchild to school.
WATCH | Grandfather robbed while taking grandchild to school
"They put a gun on side of my head," robbery victim Luis Antonio Zayas said. "They want money. I say, 'Are you crazy? They have cameras everywhere.' They opened the door and pulled me out."
Antonio Zayas said he was pulled from his car as he waited to take his grandson to school. There was an exchange of gunfire with the three offenders and police officers, but no one was shot.
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"For someone to do this so early in the morning, everyone going to work, school," said Alexandra Zayas, the victim's daughter. "It's not something that should be happening at that time."
On the police scanners, officers were alerted to another robbery blocks away. Robbery victim Hipolito Arroyo said he was in the 1500 block of N. Monticello, where he had just taken his son to school.
"The gentleman in front of me had a knife," Arroyo said. "He was the one who approached me first. Once they saw they weren't getting what they wanted, that's when the third guy came from behind with the gun and literally pressed it against my head."
On the same block, another man who didn't want to be identified said the same three guys robbed him, too, on his way to work.
"It's upsetting," that victim told ABC7. "These things are not supposed to happen. You think it's never going to happen to you, but it's more close than we thought."
Antonio Zayas said they took his identification and $220. While he is sore, he knows it could have been worse.
"I can replace whatever they took from me, but I'm grateful I'm here," Antonio Zayas said.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating the incident and all officers involved will be placed on administrative duties for 30 days.
Police are still searching for the three suspects.
