A Chicago police officer and a teenage suspect were injured after a gun went off Thursday on the South Side.
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Police said a single shot was fired in the encounter. Only one shell casing recovered, and it came from that teen's weapon. Both the officer and suspect were wounded in the lower body.
The shooting happened around 12:30 p.m. in full view of neighbors in the 5600 block of South Shields Avenue in Englewood, Chicago police officials told ABC7.
Officers from the 7th District had witnessed a 16-year-old boy at the location and attempted conduct an "investigatory stop," Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said at an afternoon news conference, which was held near the University of Chicago Medical Center, where the injured officer is being treated.
"That's an extremely dangerous job, when we look at people who are armed with weapons, every one of those encounters has the potential to end with deadly force on either side, on both sides, so lives always in danger when officers are encountering individuals who are carrying guns illegally," Snelling said. "So we have to make sure that we get the message out for people to cooperate with officers, but we also have to get the message out to let everybody understand the danger that officers are facing every day when they encounter armed individuals."
One bullet was fired during a struggle after officers witnessed an armed juvenile suspect on the street and attempted to stop them, CPD Supt. Larry Snelling said at an afternoon ne
One bullet was fired when the gun discharged during a struggle after officers attempted to disarm the suspect, who had the firearm in his waistband, officials said. A CPD officer and the suspect were both struck by the bullet, preliminary information showed.
"The weapon inadvertently discharged, striking the individual in the groin area. That same bullet is believed to have also struck the officer in the leg," Snelling said.
A swarm of officers flooded to the area. The frantic moments after the shooting were heard on the police radio police radio call of an officer and civilian injured.
The officer was shot in the leg and taken to the UChicago hospital by fellow officers in a CPD squad car, officials said. The officer, who has been with the department for six years since 2018, is expected to recover.
The suspect was shot in the groin, multiple sources told ABC7. They were taken to another hospital and initially reported to be stable.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson also spoke at the afternoon press conference at the hospital.
"The job that our law enforcement does every single day requires a great deal of bravery and courage, and we're grateful for that, you know, and we have too many people who have access to guns, and that's something that is a not just a citywide problem, but a but a national problem," Johnson said.
A large police presence and an active investigation could be seen at the location of the shooting. Officers could be seen going in and out of a residence.
Superintendent Snelling has not yet said why the officers initially stopped the teen as the Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating the incident.
"We're careful about asking questions immediately upon the scene without our third party investigatory body," Snelling said.
"COPA was notified and responded to the scene of an officer-involved incident that resulted in the discharge of a weapon in the 5600 block of South Shields and initiated a preliminary investigation," a statement from COPA read.
The officer remained hospitalized Thursday night. ABC7 was told he was shot around the area of his knee.
A Chicago police officer was shot in the same area in Englewood last year .
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