A high-speed police chase in Chicago's McKinley Park neighborhood ended tragically when a black sedan, fleeing from police, collided with an SUV and then crashed into a nearby building early Tuesday morning. The violent impact of the collision resulted in the death of the sedan's passenger and injuries to others.
Just before 2 a.m., officers from the Priority Response Team, responding to recent robbery reports, noticed two individuals entering what they presumed was an armed duo's black Lexus sedan near the 5500 block of South Pulaski, according to a WTTW report. The sedan sped away as officers attempted an investigation, leading to a high-speed pursuit. The chase came to a devastating end at the 3500 block of South Ashland Avenue, where the sedan struck an SUV and barreled into a building.
The crash had fatal consequences for the sedan's passenger, who was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the sedan was taken into custody following the crash, while sustaining injuries in the process. The SUV's driver also suffered minor injuries and received treatment at a nearby hospital, as detailed by NBC Chicago. In the sedan, authorities found weapons, adding a grim dimension to an already dark event.
An investigation into the crash is now underway, with the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) closely examining the circumstances leading to the pursuit and the subsequent consequences. The area around Ashland Avenue between 35th Street and South Robinson was closed to facilitate the investigation and cleanup, with multiple CTA bus lines rerouted in response to the crash. The police emphasized their full cooperation with the ongoing investigation by COPA.
