Off-duty Chicago police officer shot during ‘road rage’ incident in Irving Park East

CHICAGO (CBS) — An off-duty Chicago police officer was shot in the face during a road rage incident in Irving Park East Tuesday afternoon.

The incident took place around 3:10 p.m. near the intersection of Addison Street and Elston Avenue, according to CPD Superintendent David Brown. There was a heavy police presence in the 3600 block of North Elston Avenue near a Jiffy Lube Tuesday afternoon.

Brown added the 27-year-old female officer was hit in the face but her injuries are non-life-threatening.

The officer was traveling northbound on Elston when a vehicle traveling in front of her abruptly stopped. The offender then produced a firearm, firing shots from the vehicle, which police said was a Black SUV. 

The suspect got away and no one is in custody. Police do have a potential license plate number but Brown declined to release that number talking to news media a little after 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

The off-duty officer was taken to Illinois Masonic Hospital. Brown said he spoke to the officer and she “apparently” did not lose consciousness.

Brown said there was no evidence the officer ever displayed or fired a weapon during the incident.

He added the officer was a probationary police officer, meaning she was newly hired.

Around 4:40 p.m., CBS 2’s chopper found the scene of another heavy police presence in the 5600 block of North Drake Avenue where it appeared officers found a vehicle matching the description of the suspect Black SUV. It appeared the vehicle was unoccupied.