Yesterday at Chicago Ave. and Wells st. (a very nice neighborhood) in Chicago two officers arrested a bum. From early accounts they probably stopped him because he was really out of place and acting bad. He gave them a hard time so they cuffed him and tossed him in the back seat. Officers get in the car and the guy (cuffed behind the back) comes up with a gun and starts shooting. He wounded one officer as both exited the car. One officer walked up and shot through the car's back window and killed the bum. Both officers will be O.K.. A couple scenarios present themselves. One: the guy wasn't searched. Two: somebody dumped a gun on a prior ride in the back seat. In any case I urge everyone to be "careful out there". Homeless people around here have proven to be dangerous.

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SOS USA

Either scenario, someone didn't get searched properly. Prayers for quick healing for the PO.

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Insert short witty words here

A scene much like this took place in Shreveport many years ago. A man was arrested and handled by at least three officers prior to being placed in a car for transport. It was confirmed the man had a gun in the original call and he was well searched before being placed in the unit.

The problem is the gun was missed, likely due to it being inside the underwear crotch area of his person. As the car left for the jail, the subject was able to retreive the weapon and fatally shoot the officer driving. He was able to vacate the car and after a manhunt, he was found, still cuffed, still armed and dangerous. Another officer wounded the man with a shotgun blast and he was executed for the crime many years later.

A background on the perp showed he had escaped from another state's prison where he was doing time for murder. He arrived to the local area and his sister purchased a .357 ma for him on the date of this shooting. She was also imprisoned for her part in harboring and supplying him with a gun.

One never knows what will happen during or immediately after an arrest.

I have a video of a subect being interviewed at the police station. The officer leaves to get the man some water and the man pulls a .45 and shoots himself in the head with a fatal shot.

Things happen even with the best precautions and locations.

I hope the wounded officer recovers quickly.

I cannot believe that this really happened. You know of course , the Democrats have banned handguns in the City for years. They passed a law you know so this obviously did not happen.

I find the use of terms like "tramp" and "bum" to be highly insensitive and inflammatory. This was simply an "under-served individual" who should have received "social services" from the government, instead of being "harassed" and arrested like a "common criminal." Besides, he was "just turning his life around" when this happened.

Sorry- just a little buzz-word sarcasm and bleeding-heart talking points. I was notified of this incident by one of our administrators when I came in to work, and we have already used it as a roll call reminder to properly search. One of my officers pointed out how unpleasant it is to search some individuals, especially homeless people... that why cops carry a pouch of latex gloves on their belt! Dirty people can be dangerous, too.

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LEO since 1981.

Thanks for sharing this.

Usually cops around these parts will write "Transient" in the address box on citations issued to the homeless. Every now and then, though, you'll see something like "Outdoorsman" or "residentially challenged."

I'll have to remember those euphemisms. We generally just list "At Large."

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LEO since 1981.

Gentlemen if I remember, the correct term is urban Outdoorsman.

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Always Stay Strong!

This just keeps happening. Complacency WILL get you killed. Officer Robert Stanze of the St Louis Metro PD was klilled several years ago in similar fashion. By all accounts he was an exemplary cop, and had just arrested a man wanted for shooting another officer. They missed the small auto the man had hidden in his underwear in the small of his back.

As the local newspaper (St Louis Post-Dispatch) reported it........

"Officer Stanze and another officer had handcuffed the suspect and placed him in the back of the cruiser. The suspect then drew a handgun he had hidden and opened fire on the officers while they were standing outside. Officer Stanze, who was wearing his bullet proof vest, was struck in the side and the round entered his torso between the two panels. The second officer returned fire, wounding the suspect.

In December, 2001 the suspect plead guilty and was sentenced to life.

Officer Stanze had served with the St. Louis Police Department for six years. He is survived by his wife, who is expectant with twins, and a child."

If this doesn't teach you something, you're already complacent. SEARCH those miscreants, no matter how unpleasant it is!

For a city where no one is supposed to own a handgun sure seems to be a lot of shootings..........The no handgun law must be working !!!

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millbilly

I hope the media doesn't hound the Chicago PD into finding a scapegoat. I have to commend their dept. for working with some the worst "people" under the poorest conditions I've ever seen.

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SOS USA