Chicago

Third Man Charged in Shooting of Chicago Police Officer

A third man has been charged in the shooting of a Chicago police officer last week while fleeing the scene of an armed robbery, authorities announced Tuesday. 

Dante Jeffries, 27, was charged with attempted first-degree murder, armed robbery, aggravated battery, aggravated discharge of a firearm, aggravated vehicular hijacking and kidnapping while armed with a firearm. 

Two other men, 20-year-old Donzell Grant and 24-year-old Cortez Harrington, face the same charges in connection with the incident.  

The shooting happened around 1:30 p.m. Friday near 46th and South Ashland Avenue in the city's Back of the Yards neighborhood, according to police. the officer was responding to a report of a store robbery near 43rd and Ashland when the shooting took place. 

According to police, the armed group entered a mobile store and announced a robbery before tying up employees in the back of the store. They then fled with an unknown amount of merchandise, authorities said. 

As they were fleeing, the group encountered uniformed officers and exchanged gunfire with the officers, shooting one of them in the leg. 

The officer was taken to Mercy Hospital, where police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said she was "conscious & alert." She was later transferred to Stroger Hospital in stable condition, authorities said.

The officer was later released from the hospital. 

An investigation remained ongoing.  

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