Chicago’s COPA launches investigation following early morning shooting involving off-duty officer
- Incident: An off-duty officer exchanged gunfire with armed suspects in the South Loop early Saturday morning
- Status: No injuries reported; the suspects remain at large.
- Investigation: COPA and Chicago police are leading the inquiry.
CHICAGO, IL — An early morning shootout in Chicago’s South Loop has prompted an investigation by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA). The incident, which occurred Saturday on the 100 block of West Polk Street near Printer’s Row, involved an off-duty Chicago police officer and two unidentified armed individuals.
According to a statement shared by COPA on X (formerly Twitter), the confrontation began just before 4 a.m. Chicago police later confirmed that a 25-year-old man was standing on a sidewalk in the area when two unknown suspects approached him.
As the situation unfolded, a 25-year-old off-duty officer driving in the vicinity encountered the group. Police stated that the armed suspects drew their weapons and began firing in the officer’s direction. Acting swiftly, the off-duty officer returned fire, prompting the suspects to flee the scene.