Man in critical condition after exchanging gunfire with officers in South Shore: Chicago police
CPD SUV flips on way to scene
CHICAGO (WLS) -- A man was critically injured while exchanging gunfire with Chicago police on the South Side on Saturday evening, officials said.
COPA is responding to the officer-involved shooting, which they say happened in the South Shore neighborhood near 2400 East 72nd Street. That's near where officers were conducting a narcotics investigation around 6:45 p.m., police said during a press conference.
The subject of CPD's investigation fled, and after a short foot chase, he turned and fired at the officers. The officers returned fire and struck him in his left side, police said.
Police said the man continued to struggle, but officers managed to take him into custody.
The Chicago Fire Department said the man was transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center in serious, but stable condition. Police said he's still in critical condition after surgery.
Police said one of the rounds fired entered a residence, but did not strike anyone inside.
Officials blocked off several roads as part of the investigation, and a large police presence was stretched out over multiple blocks.
Several neighbors were outside at the time. One woman, a witness who did not want to show her face on camera, described the moments leading up to the shooting.
"The police hopped out of their car, and proceeded on foot behind a young man in red, and I heard three gun shots," the witness said. "Everybody on the police force came, and they start pushing everybody out the way. They pushed everybody across the street, and told us to get out of their way."
The witness said several neighbors were frustrated following the shooting, wanting answers and accountability from police. She added her community is in need of help, in terms of people feeling safe around law enforcement and for their safety in general.
Chicago police said no officers were shot or otherwise hurt.
However, a CPD SUV was headed to the scene of the shooting when it overturned near East 71st Street and South Cornell Avenue, officials said. It was not immediately clear what caused the vehicle to flip over, but the officer who was inside is expected to be OK.
Meanwhile, Metra Electric South Chicago inbound and outbound train traffic were temporarily halted due to police activity near Stony Island, but have since resumed their routes.
Officials did not immediately provide further information about the shooting.
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