CHICAGO – An officer with the Chicago Police Department was shot and killed late Wednesday afternoon on the South Side of the city while responding to a call of domestic violence.
Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said the officer was shot at approximately 4:45 p.m. in the 5200 block of South Spaulding Avenue in the city’s Gage Park neighborhood. The call involved a suspect who was armed with a gun and was reportedly chasing a woman down the street, WGN9 reported.
According to authorities, officers knocked on a door while trying to find the source of trouble. A male suspect bolted from the location while armed with a weapon. Officers gave chase and a gun battle ensued. During the exchange of gunfire, both an officer and the gunman were hit.
The officer suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to Mt. Sinai Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The unnamed suspect sustained a gunshot wound to the head and was transported to an area hospital where he is listed in critical condition.
“What we know about the offender is that he is 18 years old, not much of a criminal history. One prior violation that we’ve been able to find this evening,” Brown noted.
The superintendent said the officer leaves behind a wife and family internationally, the Post Millennial reported.
“This young officer, who had five years with the department, had a bright future ahead of him and this is something that no family should have to face,” Brown exhorted.
The medical examiners office later identified the fallen officer as 32-year-old Andres Vasquez-Lasso, according to WGN.
“Policing is a big family of people who know, at some point, that they may be asked to make the ultimate sacrifice, but you never wish or hope that it actually happens,” Brown added. “And tonight, this tragedy did. There are some broken hearts that will take a long time to grieve and accept this.”
