A 17-year-old boy was charged Sunday with attempting to shoot an Illinois state trooper who was pursuing him in connection with a car robbery.
The boy, who has not been identified because he was charged as a juvenile, was in the passenger seat of a stolen car at a Shell gas station located at 55th and Wells near the Dan Ryan Expressway when the trooper attempted to approach him. The officer identified the stolen car by its license plate.
The boy was sitting in the passenger seat and was the only occupant of the car at that time. He fled the scene on foot and was subsequently chased by the officer. The officer followed the boy for about 1,000 feet before the boy fired a single shot at him. The officer returned the shot, but neither was reported injured in the gunfire, police said.
The trooper arrested the boy after he fell over during the gunfire exchange, according to police. He was taken to the Cook County Juvenile Detention Center and is expected to appear in bond court on Monday.
The boy was charged with attempted murder of a police officer, discharge of a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon, criminal trespass to a vehicle and aggravated assault.
State police continue to investigate the car robbery and have not released information regarding the identity of the driver of the stolen car.
