A Chicago man was arrested for allegedly shooting a police officer and two federal agents on July 7 when he thought they were rival gang members in his area.
According to the Chicago Sun Times, 28-year-old Eugene McLaurin faces a maximum of 20 years with one count of using a dangerous and deadly weapon to assault an agent with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
“McLaurin stated that he began following the Chrysler because he believed that it was a vehicle driven by ‘opps,’ referring to members of a rival street gang,” the court papers read. “Specifically, McLaurin explained that on or about July 6, 2021 — the day before the shooting—a friend told McLaurin that there was a white Chrysler 300 surveilling the area.”
The shooting occurred around 6 a.m. at Morgan Park Police Station in Chicago. One officer was grazed in the back of the head by a bullet, while another was shot in the hand and side. All three individuals were taken to the hospital and have since been released.
News of the shooting arrives just days ahead of President Joe Biden’s visit to the city. Alderman Matthew O’Shea expressed his distress to Biden after the incident, saying, “We’re at a critical point in the city of Chicago. We need help. Police can’t do it alone.”
