‘An engine of violence’: Attempted murder charges filed in shooting of Chicago cop, woman

Three shootings in less than a week were the culmination of “a pattern of escalating illegal activity” for Michael Blackman, according to Chicago police.

Blackman, 45, now faces a host of felony charges — including five counts of attempted murder — after, police say, he shot a woman in broad daylight downtown last week.

When police tracked him down a few days later in West Englewood, he opened fire, striking one of the officers, police said. In another gun battle a few hours later just blocks away, he was taken into custody after being shot by police.

“Blackman eventually became an engine of violence who preyed on and targeted an unsuspecting female victim in the Fulton Market District on Sept. 18,” First Deputy Supt. Anthony Riccio said at news conference Monday.

“Three days later he turned his gun onto Chicago police officers, including an officer who was attempting to arrest him and bring him to justice,” Riccio added. “It’s no stretch to say that Mr. Blackman posed a clear and present danger to the people of Chicago.”

Along with attempted murder, Blackman faces charges of aggravated assault to a police officer, aggravated battery with a firearm, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. He remains hospitalized in stable condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn with eight gunshot wounds, Assistant Cook County State’s Attorney Jim Murphy said at his bond hearing Monday.

Blackman was ordered held without bail at that hearing.

Chicago Police

Though Blackman has declined to speak with detectives, police are pursuing the theory the shooting of the woman in the Fulton Market District was driven by a grudge Blackman held with security officers in a nearby building.

Deputy Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said Blackman worked as a delivery driver for Jimmy John’s until he was fired in May. When making deliveries to a building in the area — the same building where the woman worked — Blackman would get into arguments with the building’s security because he refused to show the officers a form of ID.

On Sept. 18, Deenihan said, Blackman was in the area near the 200 block of North Milwaukee when he saw the woman, 29, and two other people leave the building to go to lunch.

“It appears that he’s in the area on his bike, he sees these individuals leave that building and then he chooses to randomly shoot this girl,” Deenihan said, noting Blackman had no prior contact with the woman, whose condition has been stabilized.

After reviewing surveillance footage, detectives were able to track down Blackman at 63^rd Street and Ashland Avenue, where he was seen exiting a CTA bus.

The CPD released several video stills showing the suspect wanted in the shooting. The Itasca Police Department told CPD they believed it was Blackman, who was wanted in Itasca for an alleged burglary, Deenihan said.

“Itasca PD should be credited with identifying this offender,” Deenihan said.

Once Blackman was identified, the CPD’s fugitive apprehension team tracked him down at a residence near 65th Street and Winchester Avenue. As they tried to take him into custody about 8:40 a.m. Saturday, Blackman opened fire, striking one of the officers in the groin and leg area before running off, according to police.

The injured officer — who lost a substantial amount of blood — was able to apply a tourniquet to his wounds before other officers drove him to the hospital. The 16-year department veteran has undergone two surgeries and remained hospitalized Monday morning. Riccio said he’s hopeful the officer will soon be moved out of the intensive care unit.

After the shooting, police reviewed more surveillance footage that showed Blackman running west toward the 6400 block of South Hoyne Avenue, Deenihan said.

Once police were in the area, “Blackman comes flying out of this vacant house with a gun in his hand running past officers,” Deenihan said.

Blackman kept running west, past railroad tracks and into a rail yard, where he tried to hide in a vehicle parked there, Deenihan said. An officer saw him and ordered him out.

Once out of the vehicle, he started walking toward police, still with the gun in his hand, Deenihan said. Blackman fired several shots at officers, who returned fire, striking him several times “in his lower body.”

Blackman has an extensive arrest history going back to 1991, Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson previously said. His charges include burglary, battery, domestic battery, criminal trespassing, disorderly conduct, driving on a suspended license and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Contributing: Andy Grimm