CHICAGO — A Chicago police officer shot twice and severely injured during a traffic stop in Englewood was released from a hospital Sunday.
Erik Moreno, who was shot in the arm and torso around 2 p.m. June 5 and taken to University of Chicago Medical Center in critical but stable condition, was wheeled out of the hospital a week later.
On Sunday, hundreds of uniformed officers saluted and cheered as Moreno exited the building with family by his side. A bagpipe procession then led Moreno to his vehicle, with dozens of other police officials lining the sidewalk and standing at attention, videos showed.
Moreno is the second wounded CPD officer to be released from the hospital this week, following the discharge of Officer Fernanda Ballesteros from the same hospital on Monday. Ballesteros was also shot while attempting a traffic stop in Englewood.
“We, as a department, are very grateful to have another of our wounded Officers released from the University of Chicago Hospital while recovering after having been shot in the line of duty,” police spokesperson Tom Ahern said in a statement.
Moreno’s shooting happened on the 6900 block of South Sangamon Street. Three uniformed officers, including Moreno, were making a traffic stop when the driver of the car they were trying to pull over stopped in a dead-end alley. One person then got out of the car and shot at the officers, who returned fire. After Moreno was hit, fellow officers took him to the hospital.
On Tuesday, police charged Jerome Halsey, 27, with two felony counts of attempted first degree murder, one felony count of aggravated battery against a police officer and one felony count of aggravated assault/discharging a weapon. Halsey was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition after being shot multiple times during the exchange, police said in a statement.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability has body camera and third-party footage from the incident, which will be publicly released in 60 days, barring a court order.
On Sunday, video showed Officer Moreno exiting the hospital in a wheelchair, with a black sling around his left arm. His fellow officers showed no hesitation shaking his right one.
“We are wishing him a speedy recovery at home,” wrote the official feed for the Chicago Police in a tweet.