Police said the officer opened fire during a confrontation early Sunday and later fired additional shots toward a group on the sidewalk.
CHICAGO, IL — An off-duty Chicago police officer shot two men during a confrontation early Sunday in the Little Village neighborhood after police said one of the men struck the officer in the face.
The shooting happened about 12:48 a.m. in the 2600 block of West 24th Street, near Rockwell Street, according to Chicago police. The incident brought a heavy police response to the Southwest Side neighborhood and is being investigated by the department and the Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
Police said the off-duty officer was driving on West 24th Street when he stopped his vehicle and began talking with a group of people standing on a sidewalk. A man from the group approached the officer’s vehicle and became involved in a physical confrontation with him, police said.
Authorities said the man struck the officer in the face. The officer then fired his gun, striking the man twice, according to police. The wounded man was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was listed in fair condition. Police said he was taken into custody, but authorities had not announced charges as of Sunday afternoon.
A second man who had been with the group suffered an injury to his arm and later went to Mount Sinai Hospital on his own, police said. He was listed in good condition. Initial reports differed over whether the second man’s injury was confirmed to have been caused by gunfire, with some reports citing police as saying he was struck and others describing the nature of the injury as unclear.
Police said the encounter did not end with the initial shooting. Afterward, the officer drove a short distance down the street, stopped his vehicle and got out before firing additional shots in the direction of the group. Authorities had not publicly explained why the officer fired again or whether the later shots caused additional injuries.
The officer was also taken to a hospital for injuries police said he suffered during the initial physical confrontation. Authorities did not publicly identify the officer or either of the injured men in the information available Sunday.
Video from the area showed a large police presence near West 24th and South Rockwell streets after the shooting. Evidence markers and shell casings could be seen at the scene as investigators worked in the area. Vehicles were also inside the crime scene, though authorities had not publicly detailed their roles in the investigation.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which investigates shootings involving Chicago police officers, responded to the incident. Chicago police also said its Investigative Response Team was investigating. The officer will be assigned to administrative duties while the shooting is reviewed under department procedures.
The investigation remained active Sunday. Authorities had not released the names of those involved or provided a full account of what preceded the officer’s initial conversation with the group. Investigators also had not publicly announced criminal charges in connection with the confrontation.
Author note: Last updated October 4, 2026.