Officer Wounded, Suspect Killed In Police-Involved Shooting In Bucktown
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A police officer apparently was shot with his own weapon in the Bucktown neighborhood, before he turned the gun on a burglary suspect, killing the man during a struggle early Monday morning.
CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli reports the police-involved shooting happened around 3:30 a.m. in the 1600 block of North Marshfield Avenue, as an officer was returning home from work.
Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said the Near North District officer -- a 20-year veteran of the department -- was coming home from his shift on the "Entertainment Detail" downtown when he saw an apparent burglary taking place at a home under construction in the 1600 block of West Wabansia Avenue, around the corner.
"He went to confront the individual who was at the location and, at this point the details are being figured out by our investigators, but in sum and substance, he got into a struggle with the offender," McCarthy said.
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During that struggle, the officer apparently was shot in the left bicep with his own gun.
"Hears somebody in the construction site. Goes to investigate it. There's a struggle with the officer who has his gun in his hand, and in the struggle, the officer's weapon discharges. He gets shot in the arm," said Pat Camden, spokesman for the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police.
The officer then got back control of his weapon, and shot the suspect in fear of his life, Camden said. The suspect, a man in his 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The 44-year-old officer was taken to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, where he was treated and later released. The bullet went through his arm, and he was expected to make a full recovery.
"The officer is in good spirits. He has some pretty significant injuries to his arm, as you can imagine. He's in a lot of pain, but he's going to be okay," McCarthy said.
The officer's neighbor, Nick Young, said he's glad a policeman lives next door.
"We always feel like there's actual guardians in the neighborhood," he said.
The Independent Police Review Authority was investigating the shooting.
