Off-duty Robbins cop witnesses Gresham shooting, exchanges fire with suspects

Charges were pending against two men arrested Tuesday morning after an off-duty south suburban police officer witnessed a shooting in the South Side Gresham neighborhood and exchanged gunfire with the suspects.

A 21-year-old man was getting out of a vehicle at 11:38 a.m. near 81st and Loomis when three males approached in another vehicle, according to Chicago police. The man told investigators he heard shots and realized he’d been hit.

He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital with a gunshot wound to his right foot, police said. His condition was stabilized.

The off-duty Robbins officer witnessed the shooting and pursued the vehicle the suspects were in, police said. At some point during the encounter, the officer and the suspects exchanged gunfire, but neither the officer nor any of the suspects were hit.

The suspects’ vehicle eventually crashed near 73rd and Halsted in Englewood, police said. The two 19-year-old men got out and tried to run away on foot.

They were eventually taken into custody and charges against them were pending Wednesday afternoon, police said. Two guns were recovered inside the vehicle and the officer’s gun was recovered as evidence near 72nd and Emerald.

Police initially reported that three people were being questioned by detectives, but later clarified that the third person questioned was the Robbins officer, who “was acting in his official capacity” and providing a statement.