Chicago Police officer shot in West Englewood

CHICAGO (CBS) — A Chicago Police officer was shot and wounded Wednesday in West Englewood.

In a news conference at the University of Chicago Medical Center, police Supt. David Brown said at 5:42 p.m., two uniformed Chicago Police officers were in a marked squad car attempting a traffic stop in the 6100 block of South Paulina Street.

The car the officers were trying to pull over first sped up, and then slowed down to come in parallel with the squad car, Brown said. At that point, someone in the car started firing a gun at the officers.

The officer who was driving was shot and was wounded. The officer who had been in the passenger seat drove the wounded officer to the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Meanwhile, the offenders’ vehicle crashed at 64th and Bishop streets, and the offenders ran off, Brown said.

Witnesses said the offenders might have run in any number of different directions, possibly going into a building nearby.

As CBS 2’s Jermont Terry reported, police as of 6:15 p.m. were maintaining a strong presence both east and west of Ashland Avenue on 64th Street. 

Numerous officers were seen racing down Ashland Avenue in response to the shooting, some from as far away as the Town of Cicero. A multitude of law enforcement helicopters were also hovering overhead, including one from as far away as Indiana.

Brown said the officer was in critical, but stable condition.