A woman was killed Sunday evening after the vehicle she was in was pursued for blocks and the people chasing her ultimately opened fire in the parking lot of a police station in a brazen Morgan Park attack that authorities said was indicative of the danger in which police officers increasingly find themselves.
“It is shocking that a police district is not a safe space, but our police officers have been attacked these past 2 ½ years at levels not seen in this city’s history,” said Superintendent David Brown during a Monday morning news conference. “We’ve repeatedly said this — criminals, particularly violet criminals — feel empowered. They have no respect for law enforcement.”
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The fatal encounter began even before a car drove up to the garage door of the 22nd District station in the 1900 block of Monterey Avenue on the Far South Side around 8 p.m., according to police. The 46-year-old woman and a 42-year-old man who had also been in the car were both shot, according to Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford.
Police did not describe the victim’s vehicle but said the shooter had been in a gray Chrysler that “approached and began shooting at the victims inside the vehicle.” Eventually, at least two men got out of the Chrysler and “continued shooting at the victims” before they got back in the vehicle and drove off.
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The wounded man and woman were taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. The woman was pronounced dead at 8:28 p.m., according to information from the Cook County medical examiner’s office, which had not released the woman’s name as of Monday afternoon.
The man was in fair condition, with gunshot wounds to the lower body, police said.
During the news conference, Brendan Deenihan, chief of detectives for the Police Department, said the man and woman had been being pursued by people in another vehicle for several minutes and several blocks before the attack.
“There was a separate vehicle chasing them around for several minutes. When they came across the police station, they were pulling in there, obviously seeking safety,” Deenihan said.
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Brown said although civilians were targeted in the shooting, the fact it took place outside a police station is illustrative of brazen behavior by criminals who don’t fear police or the repercussions of their actions.
Part of the reason behind what Brown called “record levels” of violence toward police officers is a belief that even if they are arrested, criminals may be granted leniency when they enter the court system. Brown said he hopes judges will begin to impose harsher penalties and more frequently deny bail to violent criminals — particularly repeat offenders.
“I hope we can persuade those judges to hold those violent criminals accountable in the courts,” Brown said, adding if they do that, “you will see a safer Chicago.”
Authorities are hoping a witness will come forward.
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“We believe that somebody knows who these (shooters) are,” Deenihan said.
