South Shore Line officer shoots unruly passenger at Hegewisch station: police

A South Shore Line officer shot and critically wounded an unruly passenger he was trying to remove from a train Thursday morning at the Hegewisch station.

An officer of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, which operates the South Shore Line, was called to a conductor who said a passenger was being verbally aggressive, according to a statement from the Chicago Police Department, which is investigating the shooting.

As the officer tried to remove the 33-year-old passenger from the train, the passenger became “physically aggressive and a struggle ensued,” at which point the officer shot the passenger in his abdomen, police said.

The passenger was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition, Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said.

The officer was taken to a hospital for a facial injury, police said. He was in good condition at Trinity Hospital, Langford said.

One gunshot was fired in the incident, according to NICTD President Mike Nolan. The shooting happened on train number 114, which arrived about 8:30 a.m. at the Hegewisch station, 13730 S Brainerd Ave., he said.

The NICTD, based in Michigan City, Indiana, runs South Shore Line trains between Millennium Station in the Loop and the South Bend Airport.

Chicago police asked anyone with tips, images or video to contact Area Two detectives at (312) 747-8271 or online at CPDTIP.com.