Aug. 17--A man who was shot by police Saturday evening in the Chatham neighborhood was charged with attempted murder and his bail was set at $1 million.
Gresham District officers were conducting a traffic stop of a suspected stolen Chevrolet Impala in the 7800 block of South King Drive around 7:45 p.m. when the driver reversed, hitting another vehicle, then accelerated toward the officers, according to a police statement.
As the Impala approached them, the officers were boxed in between the suspect and traffic stopped at a red light. "In fear of their lives," one of the officers fired two shots at the vehicle's windshield, striking the driver, police said at the time. Prosecutors repeated that at a bail hearing Monday afternoon.
The driver, Jerome Buchanan, 18, was taken to Stroger Hospital in stable condition, police and fire officials said. A Fire Department spokesman said the man was in serious-to-critical condition.
A passenger in the vehicle, a juvenile, was arrested with a loaded firearm in his waistband, police said. Officials did not release the age of the boy.
Video surveillance of the incident was recovered. Prosecutors said at a bail hear Monday that Buchanan admitted to stealing the Impala and to hearing the officers tell him to stop and put his hands up, prosecutors said.
Cook County Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. set bail at $1 million. Buchanan was still hospitalized with a gunshot wound to the chest, an officer testified Monday.
