CHICAGO — One person is dead and two more were injured, including a Chicago police officer and a teen, after a shooting in the South Shore neighborhood.
Two people, a woman and a 25-year-old man, are in custody.
Officers responded to calls of shots fired on the 7200 block of South Jeffery Boulevard around 11 p.m. Friday. A 15-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man were found on the ground with gunshot wounds. When officers went to investigate, shots were fired in their direction.
Chicago police Supt. David Brown addressed the incident in a press conference on Saturday.
“She heard multiple gunshots while she was patrolling in the area near 73rd and Jeffrey,” Brown said. “She drove to 72nd Place and saw a person lying in the middle of the street.”
The female officer was struck multiple times by gunfire. She and her partner self transported to the University of Chicago Hospital, where doctors stabilized her. Police said the officers did not discharge their weapons.
“She felt pain in her leg and became aware she had been shot,” Brown said.
The 18-year-old was shot multiple times on his body and transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
The 15-year-old sustained multiple gunshot wounds to the legs and was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital in fair condition. He remains hospitalized.
Police said Saturday that a preliminary investigation revealed that the woman and 25-year-old man had just returned home with pizza when there was a confrontation between them and two teenagers.
“Then there’s a massive exchange of gunshots, which leads our police officer to the scene. That’s how close our police officer was,” Chicago Detective Brendan Deenihan said.
A few hours after getting shot, the wounded officer got on the police radio to tell her fellow officers she would be OK.
“I just want to say thank you to everyone who responded and I’ll be back soon. Have a good night. Ya’ll be safe.”
The officer has since been released from the hospital.