CPD Honors Officers, Bystanders Who Subdued Violent Shoplifting Suspect
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two Chicago police officers have been reunited for the first time with two bystanders who helped save their lives in a violent confrontation with a suspected shoplifter last month.
All four were honored Thursday at Chicago Police Headquarters.
Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said police officers Mark Czapla and Joe Groh didn't expect what happened when they tried to arrest a suspect on a minor shoplifting offense at a Walgreens in the Andersonville neighborhood last month.
"It was a life-and-death struggle," McCarthy said.
The officers had stopped in the Walgreens to buy a Valentine's Day card, when the store manager pointed out a possible shoplifter.
When the officers confronted the 6'3", 275 pound suspect, he became violent, grabbed a gun from one officer, and fired it.
That's when store manager Ray Robinson and shopper Christopher "Zet" Smith moved in to help.
"There's a guardian angel out there in the city, and that's these guys," Czapla said.
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Robinson attacked the suspect from the front, and managed to put his finger into the trigger to keep the man from shooting again, while Smith grabbed the suspect's legs.
"It seemed very desperate at the time, and the officers were yelling out for people to call 911, Smith said. "But it seemed just too desperate, and when I saw Ray move in, I decided I'd go in and help, too."
After a few frightening moments, the four managed to subdue the suspect.
"I figured the only thing I could do is just take his strength away from him, which is in most people, their strength is in their legs. So I just grabbed his shoes, and just picked his legs up into the air," Smith said.
Smith's wife was in the store, and watched it all unfold, wondering if her husband would survive.
"I think she thinks it's noble, but also thinking it's a little crazy," he said.
In the end, the two officers and the two Good Samaritans got the suspect to the ground.
The suspect, 33-year-old Thomas Thompson, was charged with two counts of attempted murder. He was being held on $2 million bail, according to Cook County Jail records.
The officers were injured, but have recovered and ready to return to active duty next week.
