CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – Police pulled over a vehicle for a traffic stop when the man started to flee. Officers were able to box him in, and then all hell broke loose.
The chaos erupted just after 5 p.m. when Duarte, a four-year-veteran of the department, and his partner tried to pull over a vehicle in Cicero for a routine traffic stop. The driver instead took off onto a ramp leading to Interstate 55, in Chicago’s city limits.
The officers boxed the vehicle in traffic and the suspect got out and began firing the automatic weapon at them as he fled on foot, Fox 32 Chicago reported. The officers returned fire.
One officer was hit multiple times. During the chaos, an armed citizen got out of his vehicle and began firing at the suspect as well.
“He got out and started helping the police, which is something I’ve got to be proud of,” Cicero town President Larry Dominick told the Sun-Times.
The suspect was hit, but it was not known whether the bullet came from an officer or the armed citizen.
The injured officer was taken to the hospital and underwent surgery for injuries to his arm, leg and abdomen.
It is reported that the officer is in good condition following his surgery.
The suspect, shot once, was taken to the hospital and then into police custody. His name has not been released.
Illinois became the last state in the country to allow citizens to carry firearm, and we have reported on numerous incidents where those citizens have successfully defended themselves and others.
The name of the armed citizen has not been made public.
