A deadly exchange of gunfire during a traffic stop in Chicago's Garfield Park neighborhood Thursday evening left a suspect dead and a police officer wounded, authorities said. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office identified the deceased as 26-year-old Dexter Reed, who was fatally shot in the incident that occurred in the 3800-block of West Ferdinand Street, as reported by ABC7 Chicago.
The shootout ensued around 6:02 p.m., when officers performed a traffic stop. According to Chicago police, it was during the stop that gunfire was exchanged between Reed and the officers. Reed succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds after being taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, while the injured officer, who sustained a gunshot to the wrist,, is currently recovering in good condition at Stroger Hospital. Four additional officers were also examined at local hospitals as a precaution, the Chicago Tribune added.
The aftermath of the violence was captured on a video shared via the Citizen app, where the sounds of over two dozen gunshots can be heard. Images from the scene showed a white SUV peppered with bullet holes and a subsequent minor collision with a black vehicle. As the investigation progressed,, an array of evidence markers could be seen, painting a chaotic picture of the ordeal — a neighborhood turned crime scene.
Superintendent Snelling assured the public that the incident was caught on bodycam footage. "There is bodycam footage of everything," he affirmed. "Our investigative response team is investigating right now. COPA is on scene and they have our full cooperation." The involved officers, whose tenures range from two to five years with the force, have been placed on administrative leave for a 30-day period as standard procedure mandates, as per information from ABC7 Chicago. The Office of Police Accountability took charge of the investigation, examining every detail of this fatal interaction.
