A traffic stop on Chicago's Near North Side escalated into a police officer discharging their weapon at a fleeing vehicle, leading to one person in custody. The incident transpired around 6:50 p.m. Sunday in the 300 block of West Division Street, after officers sought to pull over a car in relation to a previous report of an individual armed with a gun, as stated by the Chicago Police Department.
During the attempted stop, the vehicle's occupants chose not to comply with officers' commands and attempted to escape, eventually colliding with a police car. In response, one officer fired their gun at the vehicle, confirms the department obtained by Hoodline. It was later recovered in the 100 block of North Avenue, with a person of interest being taken into custody.
No bystanders or officers were injured in the incident, though one officer was transported to a nearby hospital for observation. This was confirmed in a statement obtained by Chicago Sun-Times. The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is now investigating the specifics of the incident.
The officers involved have been placed on a standard 30-day administrative leave, which is routine department policy in such scenarios. This information was echoed in a report by NBC Chicago, which also noted that they have yet to independently verify the account of events as provided by the Chicago police. The inquiry by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability aims to fully ascertain the circumstances and actions that led to the use of potentially lethal force in a densely populated part of the city.
