Early Thursday morning in Chicago's Austin neighborhood, an unforeseen discharge of a police firearm occurred during the arrest of three robbery suspects. The incident began with a high-speed chase initiated by Illinois State Police troopers who had spotted a vehicle on the Dan Ryan Expressway, suspected of connection with a recent Chicago robbery. The suspects led authorities on a pursuit that started around 3 a.m. and came to a jarring stop in the 4800 block of West Monroe Street after the vehicle crashed, reported the Chicago Sun-Times.
Chicago police soon joined the fray, working to swiftly apprehend the fleeing suspects. As the officers were taking the trio into custody, one officer's weapon unintentionally discharged. Fortunately, no individuals were struck in the incident. Following the ordeal, two of the suspects and an officer were transported to local hospitals to be observed, further shared by Fox 32 Chicago.
At the scene, a weapon was yet to be recovered, leading to charges pending against the suspects. The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) has now taken the reins of the investigation into the unintended discharge. COPA has put out a call to the public, asking for anyone with information related to the incident to come forward and contact their office at (312) 746-3609 or via their website.
The aftereffects of the chase and the subsequent arrest caused significant disruption, with traffic being shut down in both directions on Cicero Avenue between Jackson Boulevard and Madison Street.
