Federal charges for Chicago teen in shooting of marshal, K-9

A 19-year-old Chicago man will face federal charges for allegedly shooting and wounding a U.S. marshal and police dog in Belmont-Cragin.

Tarrion Johnson is accused of opening fire June 2 on the federal officer and two Chicago Police officers — as well as a Belgian Malinois federal K-9 officer named Rin — when the officers attempted to arrest Johnson on the sidewalk near a building in the 5200 block of West Belmont on a warrant for attempted murder and attempted robbery, according to a Chicago Police report.

The marshal realized he had been shot in the hand but refused to go to the hospital, Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said, but Rin was rushed to a veterinary hospital. Media reports showed a row of Chicago Police officers saluting as Rin walked out of the hospital two days after the shooting.

A spokesman for U.S. Attorney John Lausch did not immediately respond to a question about the dog’s condition.

Johnson was arrested after the shooting and held without bond on state charges for attempted murder, injuring a police animal and aggravated cruelty to animals. A federal criminal complaint was entered Friday charging Johnson with assaulting a federal officer and violating weapons laws.

Johnson had previously been charged in connection with an April 2021 attempted robbery in the Galewood neighborhood that left a woman injured, when he is alleged to have attempted to rob a couple as they were parked in the 1600 block of North Merrimac.

According to a police report, Johnson approached the driver and while holding a gun and said, “You know what this is.”

Johnson allegedly shot out the driver’s side window, striking a female passenger in the arm. As the male driver sped away, Johnson allegedly shot at the back of their vehicle, according to the report.