Off-duty CPD officer shot on South Side; 2nd officer shot in two days

Chicago police investigate Monday afternoon the scene where an off-duty officer was shot in the 8900 block of South Stony Island Avenue in Calumet Heights.

An off-duty Chicago police officer was recovering from surgery Monday after being ambushed by two gunmen at a red light in Calumet Heights.

He was the second CPD officer shot in two days.

The 32-year-old officer was in his personal vehicle, stopped at a traffic light at 89th Street and Stony Island Avenue, when two gunmen came up and fired into his vehicle, CPD Supt. David Brown told reporters.

Three officers found the officer shot in his lower abdomen about 12:20 p.m. and rushed him in a squad car to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was in surgery, Brown said. The officers performed first aid on the officer on the way to the hospital, CPD spokesman Tom Ahern said.

Brown called those responding officers “heroic women” who “likely saved his life” with their intervention and quick thinking.

The wounded officer — a four-year CPD veteran who works in the 4th District — was alert after being shot, according to Brown, who said the family asked the department not to release his name.

Dr. Susan Rowell, a trauma surgeon, said the officer suffered “potentially life-threatening injuries” but was in fair condition after surgery and had a promising long-term prognosis.

Chicago police investigate the scene where an off-duty Chicago police officer was shot in the 8900 block of South Stony Island Ave. in Calumet Heights, Monday, March 15, 2021. | Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

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Chicago police investigate the scene where an off-duty Chicago police officer was shot in the 8900 block of South Stony Island Ave. in Calumet Heights, Monday, March 15, 2021. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

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Mayor Lori Lightfoot listens as Chicago Police Supt. David Brown gives the media an update on an officer’s condition and investigation after the shooting of the off-duty police officer at the University of Chicago Medical Center in Hyde Park, Monday afternoon, March 15, 2021. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

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Chicago police officers wait in the hallway at the University of Chicago Medical Center in Hyde Park to hear news about a fellow officer who was shot while in his personal vehicle, Monday afternoon, March 15, 2021. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

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Chicago Police Supt. David Brown gives the media an update on an officer’s condition and investigation after the shooting of the off-duty police officer at the University of Chicago Medical Center in Hyde Park, Monday afternoon, March 15, 2021. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

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Chicago Police Supt. David Brown walks out to speak to media after the shooting of an off-duty police officer at the University of Chicago Medical Center, Monday afternoon, March 15, 2021. | Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

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Mayor Lori Lightfoot arrived at the hospital just before 3 p.m., after wrapping up an unrelated news conference in the Loop, where she discussed the pressures faced by police. In addition to the two shootings, two CPD officers recently committed suicide in the same week.

“They have a very, very difficult job. They’re one of the few city employees that actually run towards danger. And we can never underestimate the difficulties of the stresses that they face every single day. They’re providing assistance to the residents of our city at a time of their greatest need and they’re, as a consequence, seeing incredible trauma and stress,” the mayor said.

After meeting with the officer and his family at the hospital, Lightfoot said “this is one of the most difficult times to be a police officer, probably, in the history of policing in this country,” and stressed the importance of ensuring officers have access to wellness resources.

She also vowed to find the shooters.

“We will spare no expense to bring those responsible to justice. That’s what the family expect and that’s what they deserve,” Lightfoot said.

CPD put out an alert late Monday afternoon saying the vehicle wanted in the shooting is a black 2020 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, with Illinois plates, rented fraudulently from Avis.

Brown said the circumstances of the shooting remained unclear.

“We heard rumors of a carjacking but we don’t know yet,” Brown said. “It’s too early to tell.”

Brown said investigators were searching for video and witnesses to aid in the search for the shooters.

At the scene of the shooting, police taped off a black Jeep Wrangler and placed an evidence marker near what appeared to be a shell casing.

Chicago cop shot in parking lot of Gresham police station out of hospital: officials

On Sunday, an on-duty Chicago police sergeant was shot while standing in the parking lot of the Gresham District police station, at 7808 S. Halsted St. The bullet grazed his chin. The officer was treated at a hospital and released later that day.

At the time, that was the first officer struck by gunfire this year, Brown said Sunday, though he said 12 others had been shot at. Brown said 79 officers were shot at in 2020, and 10 of them were hit.

“We ask that you all keep our officers and their families in your prayers,” Brown said Monday.

Contributing: Fran Spielman, Sophie Sherry