CPD officer released from hospital after being shot while serving warrant for Fulton River District shooting
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A Chicago police officer who was shot while serving a search warrant in West Englewood last month was escorted home from the hospital on Friday.
Officer Adam Wazny was allegedly shot by Michael Blackman, 45, who is also accused of shooting a 28-year-old woman in the Fulton River District.
Blackman exchanged fire with Chicago police officers at a home near 65th Street and Winchester Avenue as police were serving a warrant. Both Blackman and an officer were wounded in the shootout, police said.
Despite his devastating injuries, Wazny applied his own tourniquet, which helped save his life.
"The officer faced evil that day and through his training he prevailed," said Chicago Police Commander Warren Richards.
The husband and father of two kids had multiple surgeries to remove bullets and fragments from his body. After nearly one month in the hospital, he returned home to his family Friday morning.
"Thank you for all the support. It means a lot to me," Wazny said.
Doctors placed metal rods in Wazny's leg to repair the bones that were shattered by bullets. They said he can walk, but with assistance.
"He is such a great patient, no matter how much pain or how badly he felt. He is motivated every day to get better," said Dr. Amy Sun. "He will have outpatient therapy and he still has quite a ways to go for recovery."
Wazny is working every day to strengthen his legs and walk on his own.
Police said Blackman has been charged with five counts of attempted murder.
Blackman fired a single bullet into the 28-year-old woman's back as she walked with co-workers to lunch, according to police.
Officers said they cracked the case thanks to an anonymous tip. The Itasca police then recognized him as they had an active warrant for his arrest for alleged involvement in three burglaries. CPD also used several surveillance cameras to track Blackman to a house on the South Side.
A motive for the shooting of the woman in the Fulton River District is not known. At a press conference following the shooting in September, police said Blackman had previously delivered food to the building where the victim worked before he was fired. Police said Blackman had problems in the past with the building's security.
"He is the only one that can answer, right, and he wouldn't tell us, so the best motive that we could come up with -- and there is a little speculation here -- is he works for Jimmy John's as the delivery person down there and he delivers to her building several times," said Chicago Police Deputy Chief Brendan Deenihan. "Her building has very tight security and he has problems with the security officer every time he goes to deliver his Jimmy John's there."
According to police, Blackman has an extensive arrest history dating back to 1991. His charges include burglary, battery, domestic battery, criminal trespass, disorderly conduct, driving on a suspended license and criminal possession of a controlled substance.
