- A man was fatally shot by police, and two officers were injured, during a confrontation following a domestic disturbance in the Austin neighborhood on the West Side this afternoon, police and a union spokesman said.
About 1:40 p.m. police were called to the 300 block of North Latrobe Avenue for a domestic disturbance involving a knife, and when officers tried to interview the suspect he started fighting, repeatedly striking one of the officers in the face, according to a preliminary statement from Police News Affairs.
The offender wasn't just striking the officer in the face:
- On arrival, the officers confronted the man, Camden said. At some point, the sergeant put a handcuff on the man’s wrist, Camden said. The man then at first became belligerent, then became violent, Camden said.
The female officer took out pepper spray, and tried to disable the man, unsuccessfully, Camden said. The man attacked the sergeant, and at some point was able to get on top of the sergeant, beating him about the head and shoulders, Camden said.
The sergeant said to the officer, “shoot him, shoot him.” But the officer was reluctant to fire because she was afraid of shooting the sergeant, Camden said.
Soon after, the sergeant was able to get his gun out and fired at the attacker, fatally wounding him, Camden said.
Both officers were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover.