Police Pursue Armed Robbery Suspects, Officer Accidentally Discharges Firearm
City officials have released videos of a police pursuit and foot chase of armed robbery suspects in which a Chicago police officer unintentionally discharged their firearm early on February 20.
No injuries were reported, but two of the three people police arrested that night are facing felony charges.
Videos released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability show Illinois State Police troopers and Chicago police officers pursuing a red sports car suspected of being involved in recent robberies, according to CPD. It’s being driven by a 15-year-old boy.
At one point, the sports car spins around on snow- and ice-slicked pavement outside a gas station as squad cars try to disable the vehicle and block it in. Those efforts fail. The car bolts down a sidewalk and quickly becomes disabled near the 4800 block of West Monroe, with smoke and steam pouring from its hood. Three people run from the car.
Officers immediately began chasing the suspects on foot, and body camera footage shows an officer’s firearm discharging as he pushed one of them into a fence.
A CPD spokesperson said two boys, a 15-year-old and a 17-year-old, were charged with three counts of armed robbery and one count of possessing a stolen motor vehicle. The younger boy is also charged with aggravated fleeing. The third person detained that night was released without being charged.
City records show the officer who discharged his weapon is 26 years old. He joined the force in August 2023.
CWBChicago joined two clips from footage released by COPA in the following video.
When it begins, a CPD unit is conducting an unrelated traffic stop as the red sports car zooms around the corner behind them. State and city patrol cars are not far behind.
After spinning around the gas station lot, the sports car spins out and crashes a short distance from where the earlier traffic stop occurred. That driver is still sitting curbside as officers swarm the area to catch the fleeing suspects.
Body camera footage then shows officers chasing one of the individuals. A muzzle flash can be seen, and a gunshot is heard as an officer pushes a suspect into a fence.
COPA continues its investigation. You can view all of the materials released by the agency, including the complete videos, at this link.
