Man critically hurt in West Side shooting; police fire at suspected gunman

A man was critically wounded in a shooting Friday in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side.

A Chicago police officer intervened in the shooting and fired at the suspected gunman, but it was unclear if the suspect was shot, police said.

About 11:45 a.m., officers in the Community Safety Team saw a male fire several shots at the victim, striking him in the head, as the victim was driving in the 1500 block of North Laramie Avenue, Brian McDermott, the Chicago Police Department’s chief of operations, told reporters at the scene.

McDermott said after the shooting, one of the officers fired three shots at the suspect, who ran west on Le Moyne Street and was not in custody Friday afternoon. It was unclear if the suspect was shot.

Officers performed first aid on the victim until a Chicago Fire Department ambulance arrived. The victim was shot several times in the head and was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition, McDermott said.

Police closed down Laramie between Division Street and North Avenue, and a large crime scene was visible at the corner of Le Moyne and Laramie. The vehicle the victim was in appeared to have caught fire.

The shooting was initially reported as an exchange of gunfire between police and the victim, but CPD later clarified that another shooter was involved.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability said it was responding to the scene to investigate. The officer who fired the shots will be placed on 30-day administrative duties, per protocol.

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times