- Credibility:
MORGAN PARK — A man has been charged with shooting two federal agents and a Chicago police officer Wednesday morning on the Southwest Side.
Eugene McLaurin, 28, has been charged with using a dangerous and deadly weapon to assault an agent; if convicted, he could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. McLaurin appeared in federal court Thursday.
The agents — who are from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives — and local officer were in an unmarked car as part of an investigation when they noticed someone in a white Chevrolet Malibu following them, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. They noted the car’s license plate.
As the officers were on the northbound ramp for I-57 at 119th Street, the driver of the Malibu pulled alongside the officers and rolled down the window, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. A man inside the car — who has been identified as McLaurin, officials said — then shot at the officers’ car, wounding all three, according to the federal agency.
Investigators found the parked Malibu later and took McLaurin into custody Wednesday morning, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The investigation is ongoing.
The officers were undercover, working on an unspecified investigation, Supt. David Brown said at a Wednesday news conference. They suffered non life-threatening injuries. One ATF agent was shot in the hand, another was hit in the torso and arm area and the Chicago officer had a bullet graze the back of his head.
All three were taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in “stable” condition and were being treated for their wounds, officials said.
Kristen de Tineo, the special agent in charge of the Chicago Field Division for the ATF, described the wounded as “senior agents” and urged the public to keep them in their thoughts.
Brown said this incident marks the 36th time a Chicago police officer has been shot or shot at in 2021.
“They’re risking everything to protect the people of Chicago,” Brown said. “No one would do what these officers do right now. This is a very challenging time to be in law enforcement, but they are rising to the challenge, doing all they can.”
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