Cicero Police Officer in surgery following gunfight with suspect
A Cicero Police Officer was seriously injured during a gunfight that occurred on an entrance ramp of the Stevenson Expressway near Cicero Avenue following a routine traffic stop on Thursday evening (Sept. 13, 2018) at around 5:05 pm.
The suspect vehicle encountered heavy traffic and came to a stop when the driver “jumped out of the vehicle and began firing” using an automatic weapon, injuring one of the two Cicero Police officers on the scene. The suspect then fled on foot northbound on Cicero Avenue.
The injured Cicero officer, 31-year-old Luis Duarte, who has been a Cicero police officer for about four years, is in good condition at Mt. Sinai Hospital undergoing surgery for four bullet injuries to his arm, leg and side.
Cicero Police said a civilian driver in a nearby vehicle with a legally licensed weapon joined in confronting the suspect.
Police said the suspect fled on foot running northbound on Cicero Avenue being chased by Cicero and Chicago police. A citizen with a legal conceal carry license also engaged the suspect. The male suspect was wounded and apprehended by Cicero and Chicago police. The suspect has not been identified but is being treated at Cook County Hospital.
“We were lucky enough to have a citizen on the street there who is a conceal-carry holder, and he engaged in gunfire with the suspect who was struck one time and was taken into custody,” said Cicero Police Chief Jerry Chlada Jr.
“Our officer was struck multiple times and he is currently in stable condition and we ask the public to keep the officer in their prayers.”
Sgt. Rocco Alioto said police responded to the report of an exchange of gunfire between Cicero police and the offender. “Chicago police are handling the criminal aspect of the investigation. The Illinois State Police Office of Public Integrity task force is handling the officer-involved shooting. Currently, they are awaiting the State Crime lab to arrive on the scene.”
Alioto said the suspect was in “Serious condition” at the hospital.
Cicero Town President Larry Dominick asked the public to pray for the health of the injured police officer and praised police not only in Cicero but in Chicago and around the country.
“Police have a tough job confronting armed criminals,” Dominick said. “I want to applaud the courage of all of the Cicero police and Chicago police for their hard work. I also want to applaud the citizen, a civilian, who risked his life to help in apprehending this armed suspect.”
Police said the precise circumstances were being investigated and declined to comment on reports of a second individual who was in the suspect’s vehicle.
Duarte was surrounded by his wife, parents and brothers and sisters at Mt. Sinai hospital as he underwent surgery to treat his injuries.
END
Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.
Email Ray Hanania at rghanania@gmail.com.
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