An off-duty officer's workday took an unexpected turn Tuesday afternoon in Chicago Lawn when he found himself in a shootout with an armed suspect. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that the incident took place in the 7200 block of South Spaulding Avenue around 1:35 p.m., where the officer and an armed suspect exchanged gunfire before the suspect made a getaway.
No injuries were reported following the incident. The officer, whose name has not been disclosed, was taken to a local hospital for observation. The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is now investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
In an effort to maintain transparency and ensure an impartial investigation, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) stated that the officer has been placed on routine administrative duties for 30 days. This administrative move is a standard procedure in shooting incidents involving police officers.
The incident details remain sparse as officials have not yet disclosed the sequence of events leading to the exchange of gunfire or the identity of the armed suspect. The CPD's Investigative Response Team is also working alongside the Civilian Office of Police Accountability in this ongoing investigation. Additional information concerning the identity or motive of the suspect has not been made available by the authorities at this time, WLS reports.
