- CHICAGO (CBS)
- A veteran Chicago police officer was killed with his own weapon in a shooting just outside a police building on the South Side.
- Thor Soderberg, 43, was shot in the chest and killed at 3:48 p.m. at 61st and Racine, in a parking lot filled with police cars, which is across the street from the old Englewood 7th District police station now used by the department's Targeted Response Unit.
- Chicago Police Asst. Supt. James B. Jackson says Soderberg, who was working Operation Protect Youth, returned to his vehicle in the parking lot at the end of his tour of duty.
- "While in the parking lot, the uniformed officer became involved in a struggle with a 24-year old male individual," said Jackson. "During the struggle, the offender disarmed the officer. The offender then shot the officer, fatally wounding him."
- Jackson said after the shooting, the offender fled and is believed to have committed an armed robbery a short distance away.
- "The offender fired additional shots, which were heard by officers inside the police facility," Jackson said. "Several officers quickly responded and there was an exchange of gunfire with the offender."
- The offender was shot and wounded by police. He was transported to Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn with non life-threatening injuries.
- Over 100 officers converged on the area to investigate. Soderberg died at the scene and his body was taken to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office.
- Jackson says Soderberg was an 11-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, most recently assigned to the Education and Training Division at the police academy.
- As part of Operation Protect Youth, a crime-fighting initiative unveiled in April by the police department, Soderberg was working the streets one week per month.
- Now with his death in the line of duty, another name will soon be added to the Chicago Police Memorial near Soldier Field.
- "Talking to the friends, colleagues, partners of this officer, it's quite apparent that not only have we lost a brother in arms, but the entire population of this city has lost someone that, had you known him, you'd be very proud to call him one of your own as well," said Mark Donohue, Fraternal Order of Police President.
- CBS 2 spoke with one of the Soderberg's friends who knew him as a dedicated volunteer. She said he was selfless, always doing whatever he could to protect others.
- "You couldn't find a better person to represent the force," she said. "Because he was the epitome of what our police should be in terms of service. He wasn't aggressive. He believed in talking it out, working it out, avoiding confliction and violence. And for this to happen to a person like that, it's just heartbreaking."
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.
I was in such disbelief when I heard the location. Then to hear that the offender after killing the officer still went on to try to commit another crime made me want to scream in a rage. What type of animal does this. My heart goes out to his family and to all of his brothers/sisters/and emergency co-workers in blue (or white in some cases)
ReplyDeleteRIP Officer Soderberg. My deepest sympathy to his wife and family. Thank you to the Zone 6 dispatcher who stayed on through the whole incident. She held on but I know it truly was killing her inside. After it was all over you could hear the emotions in her. You did more than you even realize. It is a sad day when a police officer is not even safe in a station parking lot. We have had war declared on us. I pray that the Mayor and Superintendent finally see that this department need a serious change. I not the hope is fruitless but maybe we will see someone who actually cares take their places.
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