A Chicago police officer was hit by a car and the driver shot Saturday night on the Near West Side.
Police said the incident took place in the 2300 block of West Lake around 10:15 p.m.
Gang enforcement officers were conducting a narcotics investigation when they attempted to make a traffic stop, according to Fraternal Order of Police Spokesman Pat Camden.
The officers were facing left on Lake Street and pulled up to the car, which was facing east, according to authorities.
The driver of the car then attempted to flee, hitting the squad car head on while an officer was getting out of the vehicle. The officer was thrown to the ground and could not move, Camden said.
The driver then attempted to go around the squad car, heading toward where the officer had fallen, when two other officers opened fire, officials said.
“If [the car] did [go around] it would have run over the officer that was lying on the ground with a broken back,” Camden said. “At that point his partners opened fire on the offender’s vehicle to stop him from going around and hitting the officer on the ground.”
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The officer was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where his injuries were believed to be non-life threatening.
The offender was shot multiple times and was taken to an area hospital.
The Independent Police Review Authority is investigating the shooting.
