Gang Bangers Shoot at Off-Duty Cop: Police

No one hurt in shooting

Four reputed gang members who mistook an off-duty cop as one of their rivals now face attempted murder charges after following the cop's car and opening fire on him, according to police.

Jesus Rios, 20; Jose Huerta, 21; Fernando Gonzalez, 19; and Fernando Lopez, 20, were each charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder Sunday morning.

The off-duty cop was on his way home from work around 3 a.m. Thursday when he realized he was being followed by another car.

The cop spotted the other car while in the 3900 block of West 26th Street.  He tried to elude it by blocking around, and then pulling a U-turn in the middle of the street, the Tribune's Breaking News Center reported.  But the car continued to follow him, pulled up alongside and someone started shooting.

The cop returned fire and followed the vehicle for a bit.  Apparently, no one was shot.

The four are reputed members of the Latin Kings, and thought the cop, who had covered his uniform with a shirt, was a member of therival Two-Sixers, the Trib reported.

The officer's description of the car and the men inside led to the four arrests. 

During a Sunday bond hearing, Lopez was denied bond by Cook County Judge Jackie Portman, according to a court spokesman. Gonzalez and Rios were both ordered held on $350,000 bond and Huerta's bond was set at $300,000.

The Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates all police-involved shootings, is also investigating.

Copyright CHIST - SunTimes
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