Man shot by Chicago Police charged with multiple felonies

An 18-year-old man shot and seriously injured by a Chicago Police officer during a traffic stop in the South Side Chatham neighborhood Saturday night is facing several felony charges.

Jerome Buchanan, 18, is charged with two counts of aggravated assault to a police officer and one count of possession of a stolen vehicle, police said on Monday. He was also cited for multiple traffic violations.

About 7:45 p.m. in the 7800 block of South King Drive, Gresham District officers saw Buchanan driving a vehicle reported to be stolen and pulled it over, according to a police statement.

As they walked up to it, the vehicle backed into another car and then accelerated toward the officers, police said.

The officers “were boxed in by the offender and traffic stopped at a red light” and feared the vehicle might be used as a weapon against them, police said.

One officer then fired two shots into the vehicle, striking Buchanan. He was taken to Stroger Hospital in serious-to-critical condition, fire officials said.

A passenger in the vehicle had a loaded gun in his waistband, police said. He was arrested at the scene.

Police said Buchanan remained in the hospital Monday afternoon.

The Independent Police Review Authority is investigating, as it does all police-involved shootings, agency spokesman Larry Merritt said.

Information about Buchanan’s bond hearing wasn’t known.