Chicago police fatally shoot suspect, injure person he tried to stab

Officers were patrolling the city's west side around 11 p.m. Monday when they saw a man attempting to stab a man in the street and ordered the suspect to drop his weapon, police said.

When the suspect continued his attack, officers opened fire, injuring both the suspect and the victim, Chicago police said in a statement Tuesday morning.

The suspect was later pronounced dead at a hospital and the other person was hospitalized in critical condition, police said. The suspect's name and age have not been released.

Two officers were also taken to hospital for observation, police said.

Video from WLS-TV shows the shooting scene on Chicago's West Side took place near a liquor store, where bottles could be seen on the sidewalk outside the business. The shooting occurred near the border of the Harrison and Austin police districts, two of Chicago's most violent districts, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

According to crime statistics released by the Chicago Police Department, aggravated assaults increased 11 percent this year through May 24 compared to last year, with 2,235 attacks. of this type at the end of May, compared to 2,010 a year ago. But the city has seen 17% fewer murders so far in 2024, compared to last year at this time – 178 murders at the end of May, compared to 215 murders at the end of May 2023, the data shows.

Chicago police are investigating the shooting and the officers will be placed on administrative duty for at least 30 days, a routine step after officer-involved shootings, police said.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating the details of the shooting. The Associated Press left a message seeking additional information about the shooting at that office.