An off-duty Chicago police detective said he fired at an armed thief trying to steal a catalytic converter from a parked car in Irving Park early Tuesday — just over a day after someone pointed a gun at him on the same block, a source told the Sun-Times.
Few details have been released about the shooting in the 2800 block of West Grace Street around 2:50 a.m. Tuesday. Police haven’t reported any injuries, though a law enforcement source said investigators were checking hospitals for gunshot victims.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which investigates use of force by officers, was called to the scene but the agency would not release any other information.
Police spokesman Tom Ahern would not confirm that an off-duty officer was involved, even though COPA had been notified. “We don’t confirm the occupation of victims,” he said, though the department does regularly disclose such information.
A media notification about the shooting also makes no mention of an off-duty officer being involved. It said police responded to shots fired and made contact with a man who said he saw several people trying to steal a catalytic converter.
One of the thieves “pointed a firearm at the victim after becoming aware the victim was nearby,” the notification stated. “The victim drew his firearm and shot at the offender. The offenders entered multiple vehicles and fled the scene.”
The notification said the man was not injured but was taken to a hospital “for chest pain.”
A source confirmed that the same detective was involved in another incident on the same block about 10:25 p.m. Sunday. The crime blog CWB Chicago first reported on the connection between the two incidents.
The detective told officers he watched two cars — black and silver sedans — driving the wrong way down the block, a police spokesperson said.
The detective said the black sedan struck a parked car, prompting two male occupants to jump into the second sedan, the spokesperson said. As that car passed the detective, someone inside threatened him while aiming a gun in his direction.
No one was reported in custody in either incident.
