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Subscribe to RSSA Chicago police officer who was shot in the chest while pursuing a curfew violator on the city's South Side is in critical condition after surgery, but his prognosis is good, a police spokeswoman said.
The 47-year-old officer and others had approached four curfew violators late Monday night to conduct a field interview, said officer Laura Kubiak.
"One of the subjects fled the scene into an alley," she told msnbc.com, reading from a police statement. "An officer pursued the offender into a front yard where the offender fired shots striking the officer in the upper body. The offender fled the scene."
The eight-year veteran of the force is being treated at Advocate Christ Medical Center, where doctors were able to stem the bleeding, Kubiak said.
The officer, who had been wearing a bullet-proof vest, lost two-thirds of the blood in his body. Surgeons did not remove the bullet,
Fraternal Order of Police spokesman Pat Camden told NBCChicago.com.
The bullet is lodged next to the officer's spine, Supt. Garry McCarthy told reporters: "It's not bad news, but it's not the type of news we want to hear."
Related: Chicago bloodbath: 6-year-old among 10 killed
A person of interest -- 20 years old, believed to have gang ties -- was being questioned, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The officer's wife, two children, mother and pastor were at the hospital, McCarthy said.
"This guy's a great cop," he said. "There's a very somber mood. Everyone's very serious and focused on praying for his recovery right now."
Msnbc.com's Miranda Leitsinger contributed to this report.
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Wow, Chicago has had a very ugly week. All the senseless shootings and murders, over 40 in less than 4 days. It's starting to look like the 1920's and 30's again, except Capone wasn't as murderous as the thugs there now.
Don't be so sure. I shudder to think what might have happened if a cop had tried to bust Capone for a curfew violation.
Yes he was. He just wasn't black so it doesn't bother you as much. That's really what you meant, right?
@Chris
You're the only one bringing race into this issue. Did I say anything about anyone's race?
I think if you took the body count from the Capone era and compared it to the last 15 years in Chicago, the number of gang killings now would far exceed what happened during Prohibiton. Now it seems that these modern thugs are using murder as entertainment. Like the little girl age 6 who was shot in the head as she sat on her front step last Saturday evening. Look at someone wrong, bang you're shot. Someone hears some gossip you supposedly said about them, bang you get shot. In the mood to fire your weapon, go hunt some little kid minding their own business. Chicago makes Afghanistan look calm and peaceful in comparison.
Remember, when you do not have facts to back your argument, yell race!
Right out of the NAACP playbook!
A playbook for losers!
God Speed! I wish the best for this family and a speedy recovery!
We need to just wall off the South side of Chicago and let them fend for themselves. There is no need to have police officers getting shot in gangland. Cut off the welfare, cut off the food stamps and close it off. Maybe then these people will realize that harboring gangsters is not a good idea.
You paint the south side with 1 broad brush, how wrong you are, englewood and roseland are gand infested, but that is 2 neighborhoods out of 100 and you want to close off 30 square miles.
what about the south sides glenwood hood, chatham, pill hill these are some of the hoods that are fighting back against the violence.
No the answer is JOBS JOBS JOBS!!!
Chicago should ban criminals from having guns.
How about enforcing the bans that already exist? Or, better yet, make the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime punishable by life in prison and enforce that law.
You mean felons carrying guns? It's already illegal. You mean banning handguns in general? Chicago doesn't have any handgun ban in-place. You can legally own a gun in Chicago, I own one.
josh, The US government forced Chicago to allow people to have guns in their homes two years ago. So far only 4,300, people have been given permits. Even a retired jail guard was turned down.
How can anyone be required to have permission to own a gun in your home?
It's hard to understand, because we don't require ANY PERMIT to own a gun. And we can carry it outside of the home, (where most of the criminals are). We can even carry concealed without getting permission from ANYONE.
I guess I'm one of the lucky 4,300... But, It's not like carrying my handgun will save me from the criminals here in Chicago, it sure didn't help the poor officer that is risking his life day in and out.
Like I said in another article, criminals don't go up to you here in Chicago and announce they are going to rob you and have a gun. They shoot you or injure you in one way or another, then announce they are after your money. It's not the wild west were you challenge each other to a duel, and settle it at noon. Here in Chicago it's a warzone between gangs and unfortunately the police are outnumber and outgunned. So, by the time a police officer or an armed civilian pulls out their gun, they are either wounded or the gangbangers are long gone. Over 100,000 gang members and affiliates vs under 9,000 cops.
If I'm attacked by a Chicago thug, I'll probably get killed. BUT, I like my chances a little better if I'm armed.
My prayers for this Brother Officer, his family, friends, and for the Chigago P.D. I hope this officer sees a full recovery.
interesting how the article does not mention the race of the officer or the suspect. gee i wonder why that is...
Maybe, because most of America has grown up, and it makes no difference.
Are you kidding for a curfew violation, were the cops clearing the streets so they could cross the little blue line between good and bad, we will never know. Cops kill on a daily basis in the US and they do not fear anything, because cops are never responsible for anything they do and the can't be forced to do their job. Cops are the scum of most communities and get what they deserve, you live by the gun you die by the gun. The best thing for the citizens of any community is to get a concealed weapons permit and practice. Cops are hired to kill, they didn't give them guns for no reason. The only person a cop protects is himself and his fellow officers, in my community they spend the night protroling each other homes. Arm yourselves, they have and will kill if they feel like it.
Gary,
Whatever it is you're taking, I suggest either increasing or decreasing the dosage. Clearly, the present amount isn't working. Also, another layer of tin foil in the cap might be in order.
Gary Hanson - The curfew violation though it may seem minimal, is to help curb the commission of more serious crime that takes place between specific times of day. Seems to me that this officer had a pretty good hunch ( patrol cops who know their communities better than most) when he took chase after this guy. Not only did the suspect have a weapon, he was willing to use it. If he would take a shot at a cop, he would likely use the gun on anyone he wished to victimize. Your assertion that cops don't do their jobs and spend their time patrolling each other homes certainly does not apply in this case. And the cop did not shoot first and ask questions later as you no doubt believe is standard practice.
I was on the job for 23 years and at no time did I feel that I was hired for the express reason of killing innocent citizens, nor did I kill anyone during that time. Like most good cops I know, I did help a number of people who were victims of crime or who had sustained serious injuries, some of who might not have lived otherwise.
So, what have you done for your community or fellow man today, other than bitch about cops?
Cops rarely kill in Chicago, and when they do it's because the person has a gun. Look at the incident right now, the police saw someone breaking the curfew violation and stopped to see what they were doing, it ended with the people running then shooting the cop. If you lived in Chicago you would see that what the officers are trying to do is reduce crime and reduce the gangs, but with people like you, they will always have a hard time.
Paranoid much Gary?
I wish the officer a speedy recovery, and a swift arrest and conviction of the perpetrator.
Nation building all around the world while our nation is collapsing in all the major cities around America.
Great point Harry. We need to focus on America and to spend all that money we piss away in foreign aid to countries that hate us, on projects needing attention right here in the homeland. Screw Afghanistan and all the other pissholes in the Middle East that want to fight and kill each other.
@Mike
I think you're exactly right. Take the troops, every one of them, out of Afghanistan and line them up on the southern border. There is an invasion going on right here .
Chicago ought to sell hunting permits and open up gangster season. Maybe someone will bag a 12-point thug.
CHICAGO is a failed city in many many ways. Corruption is rife and liberal agendas keep getting in the way of progress.
The south side ought to be designated a SUPER FUND site and surrounded by authorities like Fallujah...........
1) martial law
2) house to house block by block searches
3) level all abandoned buildings
4) prosecute crimes under RICO statues
5) install street cameras like in London on all intersections. If they can take a clear pic of my license plate?
5) make the remaining animals clean the neighborhood with toothbrushes.
Stray dogs after a hurricane act better than some of these troublemakers.
Any questions?
To conmpare these losers to Capone is an insult to Capone. Where as Capone surely committed or ordered many a murder, killing innocent bystanders was greatly frowned upon. If this happened, usually it was self policed by the gang. Nowadays these losers don't care who they shoot. It seems most of the time it isn't even a fellow gang member. These people are vermin who need to be eliminated. I think the money we are currently spending in Afganistan would be much better spent in military operations against the gangs.
Organized Crime (Capone etc) Bangers big difference, though I do not condone either! Description assailant: Drop Out Uneducated, Drug user and Dealer, Gang Banger, Long criminal history, Scum! (Race irrelevant!) Parental involvement nonexistent in childhood! Best Hopes to officer.
Wise Guys never shot at cops or civilians.....The F B I wanted to put the WISE GUYS out of business the gangs are what they got in exchange.......The WISE GUYS used to conduct business from these neighborhoods there was zero tolerance for these gangs..... Wise Guys were the lesser of the evils....I assure you the wise Guys always protected the less fortunate in the neighborhood......Ask some of the old timers in these neighborhoods