CPD officer hit in vest, person critically wounded in shootout

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CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) - A Chicago police officer was shot in the vest and another person was wounded in an exchange of gunfire Tuesday morning after a traffic stop in the South Side Gresham neighborhood.

Gresham District officers performed a traffic stop at 10:57 a.m. near 87th and Ashland, according to a statement from Chicago police. A male ran away from the stop on foot and officers chased him.

“During the foot pursuit an armed encountered ensued resulting in an exchange of gunfire where the officer was struck in his body armor and the offender was struck in the upper body,” police said in the statement.

The shooting happened near 87th and Paulina, according to CPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi. The officer was taken to Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, where his condition was stabilized. He was expected to make a full recovery.

The suspect was taken in critical condition to Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, police said. Investigators recovered a weapon at the scene.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability was investigating the use of force by police and all officers involved will be placed on administrative duties for 30 days, police said.

Officials at St. Ethelreda School, 8734 S. Paulina, said the school was placed on lockdown shortly before 11 a.m.

Tuesday's shooting comes one day after three people, including Chicago Police Officer Samuel Jimenez, were shot to death at Mercy Hospital & Medical Center by a man who was also fatally shot at the hospital.