The video shows a shirtless, off-duty Chicago cop chasing two burglars from his garage before firing a single shot at the pair as they speed away down an alley in a black Audi.
It’s part of a batch of videos, audio recordings and police reports related to three separate shootings released Monday by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which investigates police shootings.
No injuries were reported in the incident, which took place in the early-morning hours of Aug. 31 in the Jefferson Park neighborhood on the Northwest Side when two people in hooded sweatshirts broke into the officer’s garage.
Police reports indicate at least one of the burglars was armed with a weapon.
The 42-year-old officer has been with the department since 2006, according to the police reports.
In a 911 recording, the officer’s wife says, ”Hi, someone just broke into my garage. My husband’s an off-duty police officer.”
COPA also released evidence in a shooting on the South Side after two off-duty officers in a gray 2020 Dodge Charger were carjacked Aug. 21 in the 2500 block of South King Drive.
One of the officers fired shots at the suspects but did not strike them, COPA said. The carjackers fled in the officer’s vehicle. Video of the incident from a nearby business does not clearly show the gunfire.
In a recording of a 911 call that was released, a bystander at the scene can be heard describing the victims of the carjacking as “two guys” when a voice in the background can be heard saying “We’re two police officers” — to which the caller responds in disbelief “Oh, you’re f—ing kidding me!”
One of the officers then gets on the line and tells the dispatcher, “Hey. How’s it going? We’ve just been carjacked.”
A third shooting occurred Sept. 15 when shots were fired from a moving vehicle at an off-duty officer who was traveling in his vehicle near the 700 block of North Noble Street, COPA said. The officer returned fire, but no injuries were reported.
There is no video of the incident, and only police reports and audio recordings from the Office of Emergency Management and Communications were released.
COPA is required to release video relevant to an investigation within 60 days of the incident.
“COPA’s investigation into each officer’s use of deadly force is ongoing to determine if the actions are in accordance with department policy and training,” the agency said.
