Suspect Charged With 5 Counts Of Attempted Murder In Shooting Of Chicago Police Officer, Barricaded Standoff
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A man has been charged in the Saturday shooting of a Chicago police officer in the city's South Austin neighborhood.
Tracey Thomas Jr., 29, is charged with five felony counts of attempted murder of a peace officer, according to Chicago police. He appeared in bond court Sunday.
Thomas is accused of shooting an officer in the hand while on duty in the South Austin neighborhood. Officers were in the 100 block of North LaCrosse Avenue responding to a call of shots fired in the area when someone from nearby began shooting at officers from a window.
It is unclear if the gunman was involved in the initial shooting that led to the shots fired call.
Police said the gunman then barricaded himself within a building at 207 N. LaCrosse Ave. with multiple apartments inside.
"We evacuated the house," Brown said. "We are interviewing all of the people who were in there. Some were just innocent bystanders, just at home."
Neighbors in the area were also evacuated. Crisis negotiators on the scene worked to coax the gunman into eventual surrender.
A gun was recovered at the scene.
The female officer became the 16th Chicago Police officer to be shot or shot at this year, and the third shot in just the past week.
The officer who was shot Saturday was released from the hospital late in the afternoon.
Another officer was also taken to the hospital with chest pains, and was also expected to recover.