An unexpected and alarming incident unfolded early Sunday morning on Chicago’s Near West Side, as police officers attempted to manage a chaotic situation involving a large group of teenagers. What began as an effort to disperse an unruly “teen takeover” quickly escalated into a serious confrontation.
Rashad Johnson, an 18-year-old from Plainfield, now faces multiple charges, including first-degree attempted murder. According to Chicago police, Johnson allegedly drove into five officers who were on duty trying to restore order at the tumultuous after-prom event near the Brooks Homes, located at Roosevelt and Loomis.
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The incident occurred at approximately 3:20 a.m. Johnson, reportedly driving a blue car in the wrong direction on South Loomis Street, not only struck the officers but also collided with a police squad car, a pole, and a fence before halting his vehicle.
Once the car came to a stop, officers swiftly apprehended Johnson at the scene. While it remains uncertain if he was part of the teenage gathering, police did discover a firearm inside the vehicle.
In the wake of the crash, all five officers were promptly transported to nearby hospitals. The police department reported that they are expected to recover, with three officers still receiving medical care on Sunday afternoon.
Authorities said all five officers were taken to local hospitals and are expected to be OK. Three officers remained hospitalized on Sunday afternoon.
Ald. Jason Ervin said the gathering was not a traditional “teen-takeover” type event, like has been seen elsewhere around the city, but rather an after-prom party that got out of hand.
“Normally, we do not have problems in the Brooks Homes for Memorial Day, and so this caught a lot of people off-guard, what transpired last night,” Ervin said. “Hopefully the officers recover fully and be able to get back to work.”
Meanwhile, Ald. Jim Gardiner said police were addressing a so-called “teen takeover.”
About 30 minutes after the officers were hit, a 19-year-old man was shot in the nearby 1100-block of West Roosevelt Road, police said.
Chicago police did not say if that shooting was related to the large gathering.
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