CHICAGO (WLS) — Chicago’s police superintendent weighed in Monday after officers fatally shot a burglary suspect the day before.
Larry Snelling called the actions of his officers heroic.
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It comes on the same day that hundreds of new police academy graduates hit the streets.
Graduation day for Chicago police means the department is adding 241 new officers to the force.
“Just slow down. When we do things too quickly, we make mistakes,” Snelling said.
After a violent clash between the police and a burglary suspect in the Lawndale neighborhood, the graduation ceremony took place. The incident demanded swift action from the responding officers.
CPD said, during a chase, the suspect shot at police, who returned fire, killing the individual.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is now investigating.
Snelling said he has seen some of the video of what happened.
“But, what I will say is it just shows you the brazenness of people with guns to get into a shootout with officers,” Snelling said.
The superintendent said it’s always unfortunate when there’s a loss of life, but he defended the actions of the officers on the scene.
Snelling emphasized the importance of handling such situations with care. He praised the heroic actions of the officers involved, highlighting the necessity of ensuring the safety of innocent lives.
The mayor told the new officers the city will be better as they step up and serve.
Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed gratitude towards the officers, acknowledging the impact they have on the communities they serve. He emphasized that every call they respond to and every resident they assist contributes to making the city a safer and more resilient place.
Snelling said officers know that any given day can put them in danger of being shot at, like what happened in Lawndale. Yet, they still do their job.
“But, I think what uplifts officers more than anything is when they bring justice for those people who have been victimized,” Snelling said.
Snelling said a priority for him is to do everything he can to make sure his officers are safe because their job is to keep the people of Chicago safe.
Sunday’s shootout happened in the morning in the 1800-block of South Ridgeway Avenue.
Chicago police said officers were responding to a burglary in progress in the 1800-block of South Central Park Avenue when they encountered the suspect. The situation escalated with a chase and an exchange of gunfire across several blocks.
The suspect’s identity has not yet been released.
A weapon was recovered at the scene, police said.
“The Officer(s) involved will be placed on routine administrative duties for a minimum period of 30 days,” a CPD news release read in part.
The investigation included several locations around 18th Street between Central Park Avenue and Hamlin Avenue.
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