A Chicago Police officer died and another was seriously injured on Saturday, April 25, after a robbery suspect, whom they were guarding, opened fire inside a hospital, US authorities reported.
The incident occurred when the agents were transferring the detainee to a healthcare center for observation. For reasons not yet established, the subject managed to get hold of a gun and shot at the police officers who were escorting him.
“Everything is under investigation,” said Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling, who indicated that it has not yet been determined how the detainee obtained the weapon, despite having previously been checked with a metal detector.
Capture of the suspect
After the attack, the alleged attacker fled the hospital and took refuge in a home. Police officers surrounded the property, captured the suspect and seized a firearm.
The two officers were taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where one died and the other remains in critical condition. “He’s fighting for his life,” Snelling said.
Authorities reported that patients and staff are out of danger, while the investigation continues.
Ongoing investigation
According to a hospital spokesperson, the suspect was admitted to the emergency area under police custody and had undergone security checks; However, it is unknown when he obtained the weapon.
The detainee had previously been captured for an alleged robbery and taken to the hospital for medical evaluation, the superintendent added.
The authorities have not revealed the identity of the agents and limited themselves to detailing that the deceased police officer was 38 years old and had a decade of service, while the injured man, 57 years old, had accumulated 21 years in the institution.
Snelling mourned the officer’s death and highlighted the risks of police work: “These are the dangers of the job. Officers know it, but they still do their duty.”