A man is being held in custody after being charged with attempted murder and other felonies following a chaotic shooting involving a Chicago police officer this past weekend in the Morgan Park neighborhood.
Darren Brewster, 35, appeared in Cook County Criminal Court for a detention hearing on Tuesday and was ordered held. He is scheduled to return to court on December 30.
What Happened
The incident began around 1:22 a.m. Sunday, when police say Brewster broke into a home on the 11400 block of South Davol Street.
According to police, a fight broke out between Brewster and an 18-year-old man. As officers attempted to stop the fight, a gun held by the 35-year-old man (Brewster) fired. Both the officer and the 18-year-old were struck.
The officer, who was hit in the chest, survived because he was wearing a protective vest. Another officer then returned fire, hitting Brewster, but also inadvertently striking the 18-year-old victim a second time.
Fortunately, everyone involved in the shooting survived.
Charges Filed
Brewster now faces multiple serious charges, including:
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Attempted Murder
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Home Invasion
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Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm in an Occupied Building
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An additional weapons count
National Context
The dramatic event has fueled a renewed effort to secure more protective vests for Chicago police officers.
Nationwide, 314 officers have been shot in the line of duty this year, according to the National Fraternal Order of Police. In Illinois, this incident marks the 10th officer shot in the line of duty through the end of the year. The protective vest proved to be a life-saver in this latest incident.
Watch the video below.
