Suspect, ‘innocent bystander’ wounded in shootout with Chicago police in Pilsen

A suspect and an “innocent bystander” were wounded in a shootout with Chicago police after officers approached a group of masked people outside a store in Pilsen early Friday morning, authorities said.

When the two officers pulled up in the 1000 block of West 18th Street around 7 a.m. and identified themselves, a gunman in the group of four masked people opened fire on them in their squad car, Supt. David Brown told reporters Friday afternoon.

The officers returned fire and struck someone in the gunman’s group, Brown said. That person, a 23-year-old man, was listed in serious condition at Stroger Hospital with gunshot wounds to his back and thigh, according to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford.

As the gunman ran away, officers got out of their car and chased after him, Brown said. The gunman fired at the officers again, missing them, and escaped.

An “innocent bystander” was grazed by bullet, Brown said, but it was unclear if he was shot by the suspect or police. The bystander, a 35-year-old man, was wounded in the leg and hospitalized in good condition, he said.

Police arrested two other people in the gunman’s group, a 17-year-old boy and a 25-year-old man, police said. Charges were pending, Brown said.

No weapon was found, but several shell cases were collected, Brown said.

The officers were taken to a hospital for observation, Langford said.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability said it was investigating the shooting.