Man, 29, charged in shooting of Chicago firefighter in Albany Park

Cate Cauguiran Image
Sunday, February 9, 2020
Hollis Williams charged in shooting of Chicago firefighter responding to car fire in Albany Park
Police have charged a man in connection with the shooting of a Chicago firefighters who was responding to a car fire last week.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A man has been charged with shooting a Chicago firefighter who was responding to a car fire in Albany Park last weekend.

Hollis Williams, 29, is being held with no bond after being accused in the shooting.

Police said Saturday that they're still looking for more people responsible.

RELATED: Chicago firefighter shot while responding to vehicle fire in Albany Park: officials

In a news conference Saturday, police said the people responsible for the fire may have set the flames to draw specific individuals out of the building nearby.

"This was pretty complicated. We have two bad guys that set the car on fire, we have three individuals and this female come out of the building she's getting in a car and driving away then two other individuals then two other individuals start shooting at her," said Chicago Police Detective Brendan Deenihan.

Police said the 36-year-old firefighter was caught in the crossfire and shot in the leg.

During the course of the investigation, police said a witness identified Williams as one of the shooters.

He was arrested Thursday following an undercover operation.

"The offender was in a vehicle. He rammed the sergeant's car. His vehicle then ran over an officer's foot while he was trying to flee from the police," Deenihan said.

Williams' attorney said in court Saturday that he was acting in self-defense.

"Everything the state said today said that these unknown individuals came to a location where my client was know to be. They set - the unknown individuals set a car on fire and then fired at an individual who was associated with my client," said attorney Joshua Kutnick.

Police said they're looking for at least one other shooter.

Investigators said they recovered guns from the apartment where the female and three males left, and those guns match the shell casings from the scene.

Officials said the injured firefighter is home and expected to make a full recovery.