Teen mistakenly shot by cop in Des Plaines police chase gets $1.9M settlement
Video shows officer chasing Des Plaines bank robbery suspect into Chicago music store
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A teenager mistakenly shot by Des Plaines police in 2019 has settled with the city for $1.9 million, his attorneys say.
Rylan Wilder at one time had a promising future as a guitarist. Now, after years of rehabilitation, he can play again, but his family said while the settlement is a powerful statement, there's more at stake here than money.
In footage released by attorneys, then-15-year-old Wilder can be seen wiping down keyboards inside a Chicago music school in November 2019 when an armed bank robbery suspect runs in.
ABC7 Chicago has frozen the video before the police officer starts shooting at the suspect, but hits Wilder.
Video from another camera in the school shows Wilder running into a room holding his arm after he had been shot. Others inside scramble to help him and shut the door as gunfire continued outside.
One of the suspects, Christopher Willis, carjacked a vehicle and then led police on a chase into Chicago, where he shot an officer and then ran into the music school on Irving Park Road.
The officer survived, but Willis was shot and killed inside the music school.
Innocent bystander, Wilder, who is now 19, was a guitar prodigy.
"He has such a positive outlook on light and even when things are rough or when they're bad, he tries to make the best of it," said Lucia Morales, mother.
After 18 surgeries and three years of physical therapy, his dreams of becoming a professional musician survive.
"It really put how much I love music to the test and showed me how resilient I am," Wilder said.
"I don't think any of us can deny that there will always be a feeling of bitterness thinking of what could have been or how it could have been," his mother said.
His attorneys eventually filed a lawsuit alleging the Des Plaines officer's actions were excessive and reckless.
Wilder is now studying music at Columbia College, and played guitar at a Thursday morning news conference announcing the settlement.
"So I've had to make a lot of adaptations and just try and figure out new ways to play and new ways to do things," he said. "I still plan on having a professional music career."
In a statement, the city of Des Plaines said in part, ""In this settlement, the City of Des Plaines does not admit to any wrongdoing or liability. Additionally, Officer Armstrong was dismissed from the lawsuit and cleared of any wrongdoing. This settlement does not reflect the heroic actions that Officer Armstrong took that day, putting his life at risk to save others. Officer Armstrong is still employed with the City of Des Plaines."
"Them claiming they haven't admitted fault, but they paid $1.9 million to Rylan Wilder. That's the admission of fault," said attorney Tim Cavanagh.
Wilder's family said they are disappointed by the city's statement and had hoped the shooting would prompt Des Plaines police to update their training.
