Off-Duty CPD Officer Charged With Reckless Discharge Of Firearm; Prosecutors Say She Shot At Carjackers Who Had Not Threatened Her In Busy Evergreen Park Parking Lot
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Chicago Police officer stood charged with felony reckless discharge of a firearm Sunday, after authorities said while off duty, she fired at a group of carjackers who never displayed a weapon or endangered her.
Bond for Officer Oneta Sampson Carney, 58, was set at $5,000 Sunday.
In a proffer, an assistant Cook County State's Attorney said Carney was with her husband loading groceries into her 2016 Toyota 4Runner sport-utility vehicle around 6:45 p.m. Saturday at the Sam's Club at 9400 S. Western Ave. in Evergreen Park.
The vehicle was parked near the entrance of the building, and numerous people were nearby, prosecutors said.
At that point, three male suspects came up to the vehicle. Two of them offered to help the officer and her husband, while a third opened the driver's door, got into her vehicle, and drove off, prosecutors said.
None of the three suspects made any threats toward Carney or her husband, and none displayed a weapon, prosecutors said.
As soon as the third suspect drove away in the 4Runner, he momentarily stopped as one of the two suspects ran toward the vehicle, prosecutors said. The third suspect then began driving again, and Carney fired her 9mm handgun once – striking the ground behind the car, prosecutors said.
The bullet did not hit the vehicle or any person, prosecutors said.
At the time Carney fired her gun, another vehicle was heading down the same traffic aisle in the opposite direction toward her, prosecutors said. This vehicle was not involved in the incident.
There were also pedestrians – including children – walking in the parking lot nearby when Carney fired her gun, prosecutors said.
The three suspects escaped with the SUV, prosecutors said. Carney called 911, but did not report over the phone that she had fired her gun – though she did tell responding officers she had done so, prosecutors said.
On Saturday night, a man and five juvenile suspects were apprehended Saturday evening after police found Toyota 4Runner that police said was believed to have been carjacked in Evergreen Park – though this was not mentioned in the proffer.
At 8:35 p.m., police spotted a white Toyota 4Runner in the 200 block of West Wacker Drive, near Wells Street, that matched the description of a vehicle that was carjacked in Evergreen Park. Police tried to pull over the SUV, but the driver sped off, police said.
The SUV went on to rear-end a vehicle in traffic. A 26-year-old man and five boys tried to run off, but all were apprehended, police said. The suspects were taken to Area Three Police Headquarters for processing. No one was injured.
Carney is due back in court on Monday, Nov. 8 in Bridgeview.
