Thompson Center shooting updates
Tuesday, Feb 13, 2018 - Posted by Rich Miller
* All of these posted stories say they are “developing” news, so you can keep clicking the links for updates. ABC 7…
A Chicago police spokesman says an officer has been shot while assisting a tactical team at a state government office building downtown.
Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi says the off-duty officer was shot around 2 p.m. Tuesday at the James R. Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph. It wasn’t immediately clear if the shooting occurred inside or outside the building. The officer was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. The victim was found in a stairwell in the building.
Guglielmi says that Superintendent Eddie Johnson is on his way to the Thompson Center. Gugliemi said on Twitter the officer was shot by “an assailant.” The ABC7 I-Team has learned the officer is in critical condition. The I-Team has also learned that the officer shot is a high-ranking district police official who was trying to break up a gun deal.
* Tribune…
Sources said a suspect was arrested and taken to Area Central police headquarters.
* NBC 5…
A spokesperson from the Thompson Center said there was a discussion between two people before the shooting happened.
One witness said he saw two men arguing before he heard as many as five shots.
…Adding… WGN reporter…
- Chris Widger - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 3:04 pm:
The officer was the commander of 018, and he’s passed away.
- Gooner - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 3:15 pm:
Tragic. He was well liked and highly respected.
- titan - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 3:15 pm:
There was no warning of anything to the building occupants over the fancy public address system until well after everything was over, and then there was a cryptic “the building is secure” message played.
- Responsa - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 3:19 pm:
Just awful. What a terrible Chicago news day all around.
- Fixer - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 3:30 pm:
Condolences to the commander and his family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
- Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 3:30 pm:
titan, give me a break. Pretty hard for any police force to warn building occupants of something that went down as fast as this tragic event clearly did.
- Colin O'Scopy - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 3:44 pm:
A sad day for the CPD and particularly the Commander’s family. Prayers for all Chicago tonight for this fallen hero.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 3:44 pm:
Only question I have is if the officer should have / did have time to call and wait for backup. He was obviously experienced, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t make a mistake trying to do it singlehandedly.
In any case, it is still a tragedy that should not have happened.
- I said it - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 3:46 pm:
Rip Commander. May God grant you eternal peace. May his family receive the strength they need.
- I said it - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 3:50 pm:
Rnug as you know CPD are always on duty.
Maybe you should worry about why criminals reoffend. Like the youthfull carjackers.
Too much leniency by the criminal justice system.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 3:51 pm:
Prayers for the Commander and family, both blood and blue.
- Because I said so.... - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 3:55 pm:
Just tragic. Thoughts and prayers to the Commanders family.
- RNUG - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 4:04 pm:
== Rnug as you know CPD are always on duty. ==
Yes, I know. But I also know, from all my LE friends, that sometimes you don’t try to stop something by yourself unless there is an immediate risk of harm.
Like I said, it is tragic and should not have happened, but it’s not clear from the stories how immediate the risk was.
- Precinct Captain - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 4:04 pm:
==- I said it - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 3:50 pm:==
too much leniency for corrupt cops too?
- I said it - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 4:09 pm:
RNUG. They are supposed to stop a fleeing
Felon so they don’t take hostages from the train or crowd. Don’t second guess the commander. I was in law enforcement for 34
Years. Just hope the shooter was not an ex con or on parole.
- ughhh - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 4:15 pm:
http://wgntv.com/2018/02/13/police-officer-shot-at-thompson-center-emergency-crews-on-scene/
WGN Live coverage
- Al - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 4:20 pm:
Too much leniency for tax cheats. When we enforce our labor and tax laws, we will have three jobs for everyone employed in Illinois including AA.
- Chicago Bars - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 4:22 pm:
RIP Commander Bauer and condolences to his family and colleagues. One of the nicest members of CPD at any level that I ever had the pleasure to meet.
- Rahm's Parking Meter - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 4:22 pm:
RIP to 18th District Commander Paul Bauer and his family. May his memory be a blessing.
- Christopher - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 4:27 pm:
Rest in peace, Commander Bauer. I’ very glad that they have the shooter.
- Keyser Soze - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 4:27 pm:
Very sad. I feel for the family and friends.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 4:33 pm:
Prayers for the officer and family.
- Amalia - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 4:35 pm:
this will be analyzed to the smallest details. guy was running down the street and cops were in pursuit. they kept saying to keep anyone from being killed. it was a danger to the community. Leniency is a big issue now.
- blue dog dem - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 4:44 pm:
God bless.
- Huh? - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 4:49 pm:
WGN is reporting JTC security guard came out of the building and shot down the stairwell. Wonder if this is an accidental blue on blue shooting.
- Leslie K - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 4:50 pm:
He was a good man, a good person, and a good police officer. We already miss you, commander. Miss you terribly.
- MissingG - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 5:44 pm:
Titan, it sounds like you were seriously victimized by the lack of information today. I hope you’re doing alright. I’d recommend that you grab a dictionary and look up “empathy” though
- Sue - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 6:00 pm:
Tragic loss of life of a hero. Clearly the Mayor is no hero. Where is Rahm tonight?
- Amalia - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 6:03 pm:
news says Rahm is in LA.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 6:10 pm:
–Tragic loss of life of a hero. Clearly the Mayor is no hero. Where is Rahm tonight?–
What is wrong with you?
First of all, it was not “loss of life” (whatever you think that means) he was shot dead by a man with a gun in the Loop in broad daylight.
Secondly, what were your expectation of Emanuel in those few moments it took to happen?
I’m no Emanuel fan, at all, but I don’t use a horrible crime to go foaming at the mouth for cheap political points.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 6:25 pm:
A lot of JRTC security guards do not have guns
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 6:29 pm:
JRTC is a secure building. You only get upstairs by showing your State ID and they do look.
Or if you are not a State Employee, you go through a metal detector.
I will not question the security anymore. I used to think that they overdid it not anymore
- wordslinger - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 6:54 pm:
–Where is Rahm tonight? –
Really? You think that’s an honest, legitimate question, somehow, when a cop is suddenly shot dead?
What ugly opportunism, reducing a horrible crime and tragedy for the victim’s loved ones to a cheap drive-by.
- West Side the Best Side - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 7:01 pm:
Precinct Captain - Not a good comment today.
- DuPage Dave - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 7:12 pm:
FYI anon 6:29 all these events took place outside the Thompson Center, not in it. So nothing to do with the security arrangement one way or another.
With regard to guns at JRTC, the state police have them and the non-police security guards do not.
FYI there’s a video with an eyewitness on the Trib web site.
- Anonymous - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 7:44 pm:
Stay classy, Sue.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 7:47 pm:
You don’t need to make any policy statement on policing to feel for Commander Bauer and his family. What a tragedy. And people and the media should let his family process what happened before analyzing this in every little detail. There is no need for the public to look at any video of this right now.
- GMC GENERAL - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 7:51 pm:
A very sad day. Rest in peace Commander Bauer. Thank you to the Chicago Police Department, the Illinois State Police and Protective Services Unit at the JRTC. God Bless you all.
- 2caringpeople - Tuesday, Feb 13, 18 @ 11:51 pm:
This is a heartfelt condolence for Commander Paul Bauer’s family, friends, and the Chicago Police Dept. (I’m not going to try and be original.) May all of you be comforted and find some kind of peace. May your memories of the person he was, of what he did, and of what he would have continued to try to do, encourage all of you to go forward in today’s world even though he’s no longer with you. As time brings it’s healing, may his memory give each of you the good that he would want for each of you. God’s blessings to all of you, in the ways each of you needs to be blessed. We send all of you our love. Amen.
- Stuntman Bob's Brother - Wednesday, Feb 14, 18 @ 7:21 am:
The Commander’s death lies at the feet of those who advocate revolving door justice in Illinois. With the offender’s violent history, why was he back out on the street? What’s the average served-time of someone convicted of murder now - is it down to fifteen years yet? Society needs to learn that some people cannot be rehabilitated, and those people forfeit their right to freedom, maybe permanently. How do you know them? The same way you know people like the Commander - by their deeds.
- titan - Wednesday, Feb 14, 18 @ 8:44 am:
Arthur Anderson - I don’t think anyone expect real time messaging on an incident, but the only JRTC message was a “the building is secure” message more than an hour and a half after the shooting.
A “the building is secure” should never be the only message; there should be something before that - if only a “stay in place” message early on in an incident.