Yesterday, we mentioned Lamar Cooper, the man accused of shooting and killing Chicago Police officer Nathaniel Taylor, Jr., (pictured right) had previously served time for attempted murder. As it turns out, that should actually read attempted murder of a police officer. Cooper previously served three years in prison for a July 1990 incident in which a police officer approached Cooper and a chase ensued, during which Cooper fired at the officer.
The kicker is that the 1990 incident happened in the same part of the same neighborhood of Sunday's shooting. You know, the same neighborhood where all of Cooper's neighbors were shocked - SHOCKED - that such a "good guy" would be accused of such a crime. The Sun-Times has more on the 1990 incident, including a statement from the unnamed officer that was involved in the shooting.
But what of the actual victim in this case? Besides pursuing a Masters degree at St. Xavier University, Officer Taylor was also an ex-Marine who had served years ago in Operation: Desert Storm. A fellow narcotics officer said of the good-natured Taylor, "We couldn't get him to swear. We used to tease him." Another officer commented on his professionalism and his conduct, dismissing suggestions by neighbors that Cooper shot at Taylor because Taylor didn't announce he was a police officer. "I don't believe that for one minute, because if I know Nate Taylor, he probably screamed he was the police about 450 times." Taylor is survived by his wife, Alcione, and his five-year-old daughter, Naomi.
