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Off-duty police sergeant working security at trucking company is shot in Chicago suburbs

Off-duty Oak Lawn police officer wounded in workplace shooting
Off-duty Oak Lawn police officer wounded in workplace shooting 00:20

OAK LAWN, Ill. (CBS) -- An off-duty Oak Lawn police sergeant working for a private security firm was shot and wounded during a confrontation with an employee Monday afternoon.

Just after noon, Oak Lawn police were called to a trucking company in the 10800 block of South Central Avenue, where they learned the off-duty officer had been shot.

Police learned an employee of the trucking company had gotten into a quarrel with other employees just before firing shots.

The off-duty police sergeant and another armed security officer were present and standing nearby at the time – and at one point during the quarrel, the employee took a semiautomatic handgun from a coat pocket.

The second security officer fired at least one round at the employee, who was now attacking the sergeant, police said.

The employee fired five rounds at the sergeant and hit him multiple times in his Kevlar vest – while also wounding him once in the leg. During the attack, the employee's gun jammed – and the sergeant and the security officer were able to step in, police said.

They subdued the employee who shot the officer, and took him into custody with the help of others at the scene, police said. The sergeant then placed a tourniquet on his injured leg and was taken to an area hospital.

The second officer suffered minor injuries and refused medical treatment.

The employee accused of shooting the officer remained in custody awaiting charges Monday night.

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