A Chicago police officer was shot in the leg while responding to a domestic violence call on the city’s West Side early Wednesday, becoming the city’s fourth officer struck by gunfire in the past week, authorities said.
The wounded officer was being treated at the hospital in serious condition, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown told reporters outside Mount Sinai Hospital. The suspect was arrested.
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Officers responded to Lawndale around 3:40 a.m. when they encountered the suspect looking out of a third-floor window, Brown said.
As officers employed verbal de-escalation tactics on the male suspect, he opened fire on the officers, striking one in his leg, Brown said. Officers did not return fire.
Details on the suspect’s arrest were not immediately provided. A woman described as the suspect’s girlfriend and a child were also at the scene and were doing OK, Brown said.
Brown said the wounded officer had stayed alert and officials were waiting for doctors to give an update on his condition.
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“This is the fourth officer struck by gunfire from suspects in the last week,” Brown told reporters. “It just speaks to the courage bravery and dedication of the Chicago Police Department and its officers during this challenging time, with not only pandemic and civil unrest, but also the push against police. And yet our officers are continuing to risk everything to protect this city.”
On Thursday, a violent carjacking suspect shot three Chicago officers outside a police station on the city’s West Side.
One officer suffered a gunshot wound to his chin and neck, and was hit in his bulletproof vest, Brown said at the time. The officer underwent surgery and was on a breathing tube at Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
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Other officers were treated at Loyola Hospital: one was struck in the vest; another suffered a gunshot wound to his hip; and two other officers suffered chest pains. Those officers later were released.