Off-duty officer shoots man in attempted carjacking in South Chicago

An off-duty law enforcement officer returned fire and struck a man Thursday in an attempted carjacking in South Chicago on the South Side, according to Chicago police.

About 2:30 a.m. the officer, a 36-year-old man who does not work with Chicago police, was driving through an alley in the 7900 block of South Phillips Avenue when he was approached by at least three males and one of them pulled out a gun, police said. The group demanded the officer get out of his car and fired shots in his direction but did not hit him.

The off-duty officer returned fire, striking one of the males in the arm, police said. After being shot, the male ran into a building in the 7900 block of South Essex Avenue, where he was taken into custody and transported to the University of Chicago Hospital in good condition.

The two other males ran, police said.

Area Two detectives are investigating.