Man due in court in shooting in which CPD officer was struck in protective vest in Morgan Park
A man stood charged with attempted murder Tuesday in a shooting involving a Chicago police officer in the Morgan Park neighborhood this past weekend.
Darren Brewster, 35, was to appear for a detention hearing in Cook County Criminal Court on Tuesday.
Police said Brewster broke into a house in the 11400 block of South Davol Street, off Steuben Street, at 1:22 a.m. Sunday.
Brewster later got into a fight with an 18-year-old man, police said. As officers tried to break up the fight, a 35-year-old man's gun discharged — striking both an officer and an 18-year-old man, police said.
The officer was struck in the chest, but was wearing a protective vest that saved his life, police said.
Another officer returned fire, striking the man who shot the officer, but also inadvertently striking the 18-year-old victim again, police said.
Everyone involved survived.
Brewster is charged with attempted murder, home invasion, aggravated discharge of a firearm in an occupied building, and an additional weapons count.
The chain of events has spurred a renewed push for more protective vests for Chicago police officers.
There have been 314 officers shot in line of duty nationwide so far this year, according to the National Fraternal Order of Police. Nine officers were shot in the line of duty in Illinois through the end of November. This past weekend's shooting involving the CPD officer hit in the vest brings that number to 10.