5 Police-Involved Shootings In 5 Days

CHICAGO (STNG) - A man who was fatally shot by Chicago Police late Sunday, in the fifth police-involved shooting on the South Side since Wednesday, has been identified.

The shooting occurred in the 300 block of West 109th Place at 11:20 p.m. Sunday, according to police News Affairs Officer David Banks, who was citing preliminary information.

Reginald Knight, 24, of 10800 S. Parnell Ave., was pronounced dead at 12:20 a.m. at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office, which said Knight was shot at the 304 W. 109th Place.

Police fatally shot the man outside, according to Independent Police Review Authority spokesman Mark Payne.

According to a source, police were attempting to talk to the suspect, who was armed and began to approach him but began to run away. The suspect, identified by the medical examiner's office as Knight, then allegedly either fired a shot at police, not hitting anyone, or pointed the weapon at them.

He continued to run and while going over a fence, turned and pointed the weapon at police again. Police then fired a shot, striking him once in the side, according to the source.

A weapon was recovered from the scene, according to Payne, who said police and IPRA officers were interviewing witnesses early Monday. Payne did not know what type of weapon was recovered.

No police officers were hurt, no other injuries were reported and Payne said he did not know how many officers fired shots.

IPRA and Calumet Area detectives are investigating but no one was being sought in connection with the shooting on 109th Place early Monday.

Four separate police-involved shootings occurred earlier -- two Saturday and two on Wednesday.

About 7:35 p.m. Saturday, an “offender” was shot when “officers discharged their weapons” in the 5900 block of South Michigan Avenue, according to a release from News Affairs. A handgun was recovered on the scene.

One person was taken from the scene to John Stroger Hospital, Jr. Hospital of Cook County in serious to critical condition, according to Knight.
Payne confirmed the shooting but had no further details.

Earlier in the day, police fatally shot a man near his South Side home.

Devon Young, 26, of 5939 S. Lafayette Ave., was shot at 5848 S. Wabash Ave. and pronounced dead at 3:37 a.m. Saturday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office said.

It was not immediately known why officers fired shots in either Saturday incident.

An off-duty female officer fired shots Wednesday night while breaking up a South Side robbery in which the suspect shot a man.

The incident occurred near East 100th Street and South Luella Avenue, according to Payne. Police News Affairs said the shooting happened at 8:10 p.m. Wednesday.

“There was an off-duty officer who fired their weapon and there were no hits,” Payne said.

The officer was in the area when she heard gunshots. She ran to the area and found a robber and an adult male robbery victim struggling over a gun. The suspect, a man in his 20s, fired the weapon, hitting the robbery victim twice, according to a source.

The officer announced she was a police officer and the suspect dropped to the ground and dropped his weapon. He then got back up and began running. The officer ran after him and the suspect turned and pointed the weapon at her -- and possibly tried to shoot at her -- but apparently had no bullets. She fired twice, but did not strike the suspect, the source said.

It was unknown where on his body the robbery victim was hit, but he was taken in serious to critical condition to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, said Knight.

Later Wednesday, police shot a teenaged boy who allegedly pointed a weapon at an officer about 10:45 p.m. Wednesday in the 13000 block of South Drexel Avenue.

The boy was in custody at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, where fire officials said he was taken in serious to critical condition.

IPRA is probing all five incidents.