One officer was shot in the chin and protective vest, another was hit in the hip, and a bullet struck a third officer’s protective vest, according to Brown. All three were transported to hospitals, along with two other officers with chest pains.
His conditions were not immediately disclosed.
Dr. Samuel Kingsley, a trauma surgeon, told reporters that an officer with a wound to the left side of his neck was placed in a breathing tube and doctors were stabilizing him.
A suspect was also shot and taken to a hospital, Brown said. His condition has not been released.
The shooting occurred around 9:40 a.m. when officers attempted to apprehend the suspect, described as a violent criminal taking a car, in custody in front of a police station on the northwest side, Brown said.
Officers had seen a car from a car theft in the center on June 26. Gunshots erupted when they were detaining the suspect, according to Brown. “Officers got behind this car, identified it as the car theft vehicle, stopped it, put the suspect in custody, and then the rest happened after that,” Brown said.
Brown said investigators were still trying to sort out the details of the confrontation.
“I want to strongly emphasize the inherent dangers that these and all Chicago police officers experience every day protecting Chicagoans,” said the superintendent.
“When they leave home, they leave their loved ones and put on their stars and risk everything. They risk everything protecting us all.”
Mayor Lori Lightfoot asked city residents via Twitter to join her in prayer for the officers.
“Today is a scorching reminder of the danger our men and women in our Police Department face every day they put on their uniforms and leave their homes,” he wrote.
“This is the sacrifice they make to serve and protect our city and our residents.”
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