A man suspected of shooting a Chicago police officer after a crash-and-grab burglary in the Gold Coast earlier this week has been charged with attempted murder.
Deshawn Lucas, 33, also faces charges of aggravated battery with a firearm, burglary and unlawful use of a weapon, all felonies.
Lucas was seriously wounded in a shoot-out with two Chicago police officers, one of whom was hit in the leg, authorities said. Lucas remained hospitalized Wednesday and did not appear in court as prosecutors filed a petition to have him held in custody until trial.
Judge William Fahy continued the case until Jan. 17 so Lucas could be present. Fahy ordered Lucas be held in custody until then, according to court records.
Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said someone initially tried to drive a Dodge Durango into the Prada store at 30 E. Oak St. about 4:15 a.m. Monday.
Officers responding to the crash-and-grab encountered a gunman on the scene who tried to flee and exchanged gunfire with police when he was told to drop his weapon, Snelling said.
The officer was shot in the leg and treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital before being released Monday afternoon, according to Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd).
Lucas was shot several times and was initially reported in serious-to-critical condition, police said.
Before the gunfight, Lucas was an “active participant” in the Prada burglary and was seen entering the store and removing “numerous items,” according to a police report.
Lucas has a long criminal record and is wanted on a warrant issued by the U.S. Marshals in a gun case, a source told the Chicago Sun-Times.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating the incident.
Hopkins and other city officials are pushing to increase security at downtown retail stores to prevent the strategy of ramming a vehicle through a storefront to steal goods.
“We think it’s something retailers will support,” Hopkins said this week. “It keeps happening, targeting the stores on Oak Street and Michigan Avenue. The sooner we can get these security bollards installed, the less likely it is we’re gonna have these repeat offenses targeting the same stores.”
Matthew Hendrickson contributed
