Six CPD Officers Honored For Bravery In July Shootout That Left 3 Officers Wounded
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation on Tuesday honored six officers for their quick actions when a man handcuffed in the back of a police SUV started shooting outside the Grand-Central District police station in July, wounding three officers.
Police have said officers arrested 26-year-old Lovelle Jordan on July 30 in the Austin neighborhood, after police responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle, and spotted an unoccupied white Porsche that had been stolen in an armed carjacking in June.
As officers were processing the vehicle, Jordan walked up to the car and got in. Police have said officers immediately jumped out of their squad car, and tried to pull Jordan out of the Porsche. Jordan struggled with police, who handcuffed him behind his back, and took him to the Grand Central District station in a marked SUV with a cage in the back.
Police have said the officers who arrested Jordan did search him before taking him to the station, and found money and drugs, but did not find a gun he had hidden in his crotch. Jordan had been handcuffed behind his back, but was able to get his hands in front of him while seated in back of the police vehicle.
When police arrived at the station, and an officer opened the door of the SUV to take Jordan inside, Jordan shot the officer in the chin using the gun he had hidden. The officer fell backwards, and that's when Jordan and other officers outside the station engaged in a shootout.
Grand Central District officers Jason Cloherty, James Kurth, Veronica Negron, James Rowe, Michael O'Grady, and Timothy Vasiliadis were honored Tuesday for their bravery in the shootout with Jordan.
"Upon hearing the gunshots and radio calls for assistance, officers immediately responded from the district station, as well as in their patrol vehicles," Memorial Foundation executive director Phil Cline said. "This is an excellent example of Chicago police officers run towards gunshots and danger when others are running the other way."
One officer was shot in chin, neck, and his protective vest. Another officer was shot in his protective vest, but the bullet didn't penetrate. A third officer was shot in his hip.
All three officers who were shot are expected to make a full recovery.
Jordan also was wounded in the shootout, and police have said he might be paralyzed from the chest down.
Jordan has been charged with six felony counts of attempted murder, one felony count of aggravated possession of a stolen motor vehicle, two felony counts of drug possession, one felony count of illegal possession of a weapon by a felon, one felony count of being an armed habitual criminal, and two misdemeanor counts of resisting arrest. He is being held without bond.
