Off-duty Chicago officer shoots two men in Little Village altercation

An off-duty Chicago police officer shot two men in the Little Village neighbourhood early Sunday after one allegedly punched him. Both victims were hospitalised; one is in police custody.

Off-duty officer opens fire after punch in Little Village

An off-duty Chicago police officer shot two men in the Little Village neighbourhood in the early hours of Sunday morning, nbcchicago.com reports.

According to Chicago police, the officer was driving in the 2600 block of West 24th Street at approximately 12:48 a.m. when he engaged with a group standing on a nearby pavement. A man then approached the vehicle and allegedly struck the officer in the face.

The officer drew his weapon and fired twice at the man, also hitting a second individual in the arm, authorities said. The officer then drove a short distance, stopped the vehicle and discharged additional rounds at the group.

The man accused of punching the officer was taken to an area hospital and listed in fair condition. He has since been placed in police custody. The second man, who sustained an arm wound, was also brought to hospital and was listed in good condition. The officer himself was hospitalised for injuries sustained during the incident.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) is investigating the shooting. In line with department policy, the officer has been placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of that investigation.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact COPA at 312-746-3609.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)