June 15--An off-duty Chicago police officer was shot in both legs early Friday morning the 9700 block of South Genoa Avenue, according to authorities.
Two off-duty police officers assigned to the Central police district were on the back porch of one of their homes in the 9700 block of South Genoa Avenue when gunfire came in their direction from the tracks about 1:30 a.m., police said, citing preliminary reports.
One of the officers, 38, was hit in both legs and was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn for non-life-threatening injuries, police said. He's been an officer for 10 years, according to a statement from the police department.
Police said there was at least one suspect they were looking for who may have fled west from the scene. It's unclear if the gunfire was directed at the officers.
Police on the scene said the officer was shot through-and-through his right leg, and the bullet ended up in his left leg.
Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 spokesman Pat Camden said the officer's wounds were not life threatening and Chicago Police News Affairs Officer Amina Greer said the officer was in good condition.
Officers were trying to determine if the shooter or shooters fled in a vehicle later found abandoned about a mile away from the crime scene, police said. No one was in custody.
Chicago police detectives and evidence technicians canvassed Metra train tracks behind a group of homes in the 9700 block of South Genoa Avenue. A portion of those tracks were cordoned off with red tape.
Numerous squad cars--marked and unmarked--were parked in front and behind the homes. Several investigators can be seen walking through the backyard of one of the large, two-story homes.
A few of them were walking around its rear porch with flashlights. A helicopter briefly hovered overhead, west of the crime scene.
Also behind the homes and parallel to the tracks sat a police department mobile command van.
It's the second time since about 5 p.m. Thursday that someone shot at a Chicago police officer. Police traded gunfire with a man near 116th Street and Yale Avenue, but nobody was injured. Police arrested one man in that incident and are seeking another.
Check back for more information.
Andrew Zuick is an assignment editor for WGN-TV. Jeremy Gorner and Peter Nickeas are Tribune reporters.
Twitter: @peternickeas
Copyright 2012 - Chicago Tribune
