Two men were hospitalized late Tuesday night in a police-involved shooting after allegedly firing on officers and leading them on a chase in Chicago's North Side, police said.
Investigators say one of those men was hit by police gunfire, while a second was injured in a crash which resulted from the confrontation with officers.
The incident began in the 2900 block of North Newland in the Montclare neighborhood, investigators said, just before midnight when officers said they saw two men in a grey-colored sedan fire shots in their direction, hitting another vehicle.
The officers chased the sedan through an alley where they got into an "armed confrontation." One officer fired at the men, striking a man in the passenger seat, Chicago police said in a statement. Police initially said a second man was shot by police but later said that man suffered an "impact head injury during the course of the incident."
The two men were taken to area hospitals in critical condition and the officers were transported to Rush Medical Center in stable condition, though Chicago police said they were not injured in the incident.
Police said two weapons were recovered from the scene.
The incident marks the fourth time officers have been fired on while on duty since Friday.
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“There is never a justification for any attack against law enforcement,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement. “These senseless shootings are a powerful reminder of the duty and danger the men and women of CPD accept as a part of their service to our city.”
Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said the incident should serve as a reminder not only that guns are in the community, but that many are willing to use them.
“These individuals that shoot at police officers, you know, they’ll shoot at anybody,” he said. “Most people run away from situations like that, but the men and women of CPD continuously run to it and continually try to neutralize the incident.”
Police said the shooting is under investigation and the officers involved will be placed on routine administrative duties for 30 days.
