Teen Shot by Chicago Police Suffered Fatal Gunshot Wound to the Back: Autopsy Report

An autopsy report has confirmed that unarmed teenager Paul O’Neal, a car theft suspect fatally shot by Chicago police officers, died last month from a single gunshot wound to the back.

On July 28, O’Neal was driving a car allegedly stolen earlier in the day in the southwestern suburb of Bolingbrook. Chicago police officers fired on the car when he attempted to elude capture near 75th and Merrill, then further shots were fired after O’Neal rammed a police squad car and fled on foot.

The report from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, concludes that the 18-year-old O’Neal sustained a “penetrating gunshot wound of the back, located 20 inches below the top of the head.” The report states that the bullet hit a rib, penetrated O’Neal’s right lung and lodged in his chest.

“This 18-year-old black male, Paul O’Neal, died of a gunshot wound to the back,” the report states, concluding that the manner of death was “homicide.”

The autopsy document, prepared the following morning repeats a narrative originally given by police, that officers on the scene believed O’Neal had fired at them.

“During the foot pursuit, shots were fired by other unidentified officers on the scene, and possibly O’Neal,” the report states. “Beat 406B, believing the shots being fired were coming from O’Neal, fired his Glock 9mm handgun five times in an attempt to stop the threat.”

Police reports filed by the officers on the scene gave a similar account.

“Subject intentionally rammed his vehicle into responding officers vehicle while numerous shots were simultaneously heard coming from the direction of the offender’s vehicle,” one officer wrote. “During pursuit, offender failed to comply to verbal commands while reaching into his waistband.”

No weapon was recovered from O’Neal or the car he had been driving. Sources close to the investigation have indicated the shots police thought he was firing actually came from other officers. 

Bodycam footage from the shooting was made public earlier this month. The videos do not show the gunfire that killed O'Neal, but show the events leading up to and after the shooting, including officers firing at a moving car and O'Neal bleeding on the ground.

Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the shooting's "chronology of events is complex" and still being investigated by the Independent Police Review Authority. The department also said it was investigating after it was found that the body camera of an officer involved in the shooting wasn't recording at the time.

Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said the dashcam and body camera videos suggested departmental policy was violated in the shooting. Three officers have since been "relieved of police powers."

Contact Us