Watch CBS News

Officer Who Shot Alleged Cop Killer Now Fighting For His Own Life

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Chicago Police officer who shot and wounded a cop killer nearly two years ago now finds himself fighting for his life.

As WBBM Newsradio's Bernie Tafoya reports, Chicago Police Sgt. Jason Kaczynski shot and wounded the man who gunned down Officer Thor Soderberg outside the old Englewood District police station at 61st Street and Racine Avenue on July 7, 2010.

Now, Kaczynski himself is in the hospital after suffering a heart attack last week while serving a search warrant at 64th Street and Normal Boulevard.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports Kaczynski, 43, is in critical condition, and coming out of a medically induced coma at University of Chicago Medicine.

Fellow officers are being given credit for saving Kaczynski's life by performing chest compressions until an ambulance arrived, the Sun-Times reported.

Kaczynski and his partner, Kimberly Thorp, were on desk duty when they heard the shots that killed Soderberg, the Sun-Times reported. They went through the doorway to the old police station, where Thorp was met by a spray of bullets.

Kaczynski was behind Thorp with his weapon drawn, and fired several shots, striking the suspect in the chest, the Sun-Times reported.

The suspect, Bryant Brewer, now 26, survived the attack and is now awaiting trial on multiple felony counts.

Soderberg, 43, was a veteran of the Chicago Police Department for more than a decade. He had been an instructor at the Police Education and Training Academy for two years when he was killed. Brewer allegedly shot him with his own weapon.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.