Newly-released 911 calls appear to back up some of an off-duty Chicago police officer's version of what led to a deadly April shooting involving his elderly neighbors.
Emergency calls from another neighbor in the 8400 block of South Carpenter and from the officer himself provide a play-by-play description of the incident which culminated with the shooting death of 86-year-old Joe Huff, Jr.
On April 25, police said the off-duty officer came outside and witnessed Huff's wife, Hazel, throwing dirt and rocks at his wife and hitting her with a broom. He says that's when Joe Huff came out with a shotgun and fired, hitting the officer's wife in the arm and head. At that point, the officer says he shot Joe Huff, and when Hazel Huff wife tried to pick up the shotgun, he shot her as well after she ignored a verbal order not to.
Neighbor: Oh my God, they shooting!
911 Operator: Who's shooting?
Neighbor: He shot that old man! He shot that old man!
The officer called 911 during the incident and kept the phone on to record the confrontation.
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"Move back before I shoot you! Get away from the gun!" the officer is heard shouting on the 911 call he placed. "There's two people shot ... shots fired by the police ... the neighbor shot her with a shotgun!"
The emergency calls also picked up when Hazel Huff allegedly reached for the shotgun.
"Get back from the gun. Get back from the motherf-- gun. If you pick it up I'm gonna shoot you. Get back! Get back! Get back from the gun now! Get back!"
That's when Hazel Huff was shot.
The phone call was still recording as the officer tends to his bleeding wife.
"Don't move, babe. Don't move ... do you think you can walk? Just to get you to the car?"
The two women suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
The officer was not charged in the incident. Hazel Huff was charged with misdemeanor battery and assault of a police officer.
An attorney representing Hazel Huff says there are several discrepancies between what the officer claims happened.
Neighbors and family say the two couples have had an ongoing dispute for several years.
