Three Chicago police officers were shot Thursday morning while taking a violent carjacking suspect into custody outside a police station on the city’s West Side, authorities said.
The suspect also was shot after the gunfire erupted around 9:40 a.m. in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood outside the 25th District police station, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown told reporters outside Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
The suspect fired multiple gunshots at police during the arrest, Brown said, striking several officers.
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One officer suffered a gunshot wound to his chin and neck, and also was hit in his bulletproof vest, Brown said. Police later added that the officer was in surgery and on a breathing tube at Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
Other officers were getting treatment at Loyola Hospital: one was struck in the vest; another suffered a gunshot wound to his hip; and two other officers suffered chest pains.
One woman reacting to commotion outside one hospital responded with a smile, “f— ya,” “solidarity baby,” 360aproko news reported.
The suspect was taken to Stroger Hospital for treatment.
Brown emphasized the dangers all Chicago police officers experience every day while protecting the city’s residents.
“When they leave home, they leave their loved ones and put these stars on and risk everything, they risk everything protecting all of us,” he said.
Brown said the shooting was under investigation and more details would be released at a later time.
