April 26--Two men who approached a police officer stopped at a red light on the West Side and shot at him as he drove away have been charged with using a weapon in an aggravated assault on a police officer, according to police.
The shooting took place about 10:55 p.m. Thursday when Gustavo VillaGomez, 27, and Kevin Martinez, 20, attacked the off-duty officer in the 2600 block of West Division Street in the Humboldt Park neighborhood, according to a police news release.
Both were ordered held without bail during a hearing Sunday afternoon at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.
Martinez and VillaGomez approached the passenger side of the officer's vehicle and began "yelling gang slogans" at him, according to the release. The officer identified himself as a police officer and began to drive away, officials said.
VillaGomez lives in the 3200 block of South Lawndale Avenue, and Martinez is of the 1500 block of South 59th Avenue in Cicero.
In court Sunday, Assistant State's Attorney Kim Przekota said the defendants rolled up next to the officer, flashed gang signs and asked him what he was "about."
"The (officer) informed the defendants he was about the police," she said.
At that point, the men "fired a shot in the direction of the officer as they chased him down the street, firing a second time as the officer turned onto North Avenue," according to the release.
The officer drove to the Shakespeare District station and gave a description of the two men, who were tracked down and arrested.
Martinez was out on bond in connection with a firearm-related charge, police said. Villa Gomez is on parole, she said. He also had gunshot residue on his hand, according to Przekota.
"You're sadly mistaken if you think this lawlessness will be allowed," Judge Adam Bourgeois said before ordering both men held without bail.
