Cleared After Almost Two Years

In car camera, body cameras and outside security cameras captured the shooting and it still took almost two years to clear the Officers:

• Chicago’s police oversight agency has cleared two officers in a 2024 Pilsen shooting, finding one was justified in fatally shooting an armed 16-year-old and the other was justified in firing at a person who ran from the scene.

  The Civilian Office of Police Accountability released its findings on Thursday night in the August 18, 2024, shooting death of Alex Cortez, of Plainfield. COPA previously said state law barred it from releasing video of the incident or identifying Cortez by name because he was a juvenile. CWB Chicago identified him through other public records.

  CPD has said its own investigation found that Cortez was one of two people who opened fire on a nearby vehicle before the officers arrived, critically wounding two occupants. Again, CPD did not identify Cortez by name.

The Officers fired through their own windshield to neutralize the threat - an armed offender pointing a gun at their squad car from at most, ten feet away.

An excellent job all around and hopefully put to rest now.