A confrontation at a River North hotel in Chicago escalated into violence on Monday afternoon, leaving one man in critical condition following a police shooting. The officers encountered a man wielding a knife in the 100 block of West Hubbard Street. Chicago police, attempting to make a stop, pursued the individual when he fled into the Courtyard by Marriott hotel at 30 E. Hubbard St. where the subsequent shooting occurred.
Despite efforts to defuse the crisis, Chicago Police Department spokesman Tom Ahern explained that the man still holding a knife faced the officers, and even after being unsuccessfully subdued by Tasers, was shot by two officers. The suspect was hit in the upper body and is now receiving treatment at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. Walking through an alley toward the scene, a Chicago police officer told a dispatcher that the man had a "large butcher knife, about 6 inches," as described in the Chicago Sun-Times.
Post-incident, the hotel took immediate measures, and guests were temporarily prevented from entering or leaving the premises.
Meanwhile, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) has confirmed that an investigation into the officer-involved shooting is underway. Alerted by the commotion, bystanders observed the heavy police presence, an ambulance dispatch, and the cordoned area, as described by an onlooker who told CBS News Chicago, "Lot of cops, a lot of red tape, we saw an ambulance pull out." The two officers involved in the incident have been taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for observation and have been placed on administrative duty for 30 days, as is protocol.
As of this report, the road in front of the Courtyard Marriott and the hotel itself were closed for a time due to the investigation. Hotel guests have been instructed to check in at their alley entrance. Details are still emerging, and COPA has encouraged anyone with information related to the incident to come forward. The investigation by COPA is ongoing, and further updates are expected as they become available.
