An Evanston police officer was shot once in the arm on Oct. 8 at approximately 8:56 a.m., after police officers went to 1506 Pitner Ave. in response to a domestic battery investigation. The alleged offender was also shot. The injured officer had been on the Evanston police force for only three days at the time of the incident.
In a prepared statement, Commander Tom Guenther, public information officer for the Evanston Police Department, said police learned from the victim, who had left the scene, that the alleged offender had physically abused her and that he might have a handgun in his possession. Officers located the alleged offender at the scene and were confronted with a highly volatile situation, said Cmdr. Guenther. Aggressive actions on the part of the alleged offender resulted in police officers taking appropriate measures of self-defense, he continued. The ensuing confrontation resulted in an Evanston police officer and the alleged offender sustaining gunshot wounds, Cmdr. Guenther added.
Both the Evanston police officer and the alleged offender were treated by Evanston paramedics and transported to local hospitals. The alleged offender underwent surgery, said Cmdr. Guenther.
The Evanston police officer was in stable condition by Oct. 9 and later released from the hospital, Cmdr. Guenther said. The Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force was contacted and will be conducting the investigation as it relates to the circumstances of this incident, said Cmdr. Guenther. Cmdr. Guenther said local police departments call in the task force when there is an officer involved shooting and an objective investigation is needed. No charges have been filed.
In an unrelated incident, police report that on Oct. 2, at about 1:30 a.m., an Evanston man said he and an unknown masked man engaged in an altercation at Emerson Street and Darrow Avenue. Police reports say the Evanston resident was shot in the leg during a struggle over a gun.