Man charged with shooting at Chicago police officers in Rogers Park

A man was charged with shooting at Chicago police officers Tuesday night in Rogers Park. | Sun-Times file

Timothy Thomas, 31, was arrested Tuesday night, shortly after firing shots at Chicago police officers who were conducting a traffic stop in the 1500 block of W. Jonquil Terrace, police said.

A 31-year-old man accused of running away during a traffic stop and firing a gun at a Chicago police officer in Rogers Park earlier this week was ordered held without bail Friday.

The bullet Timothy Thomas allegedly fired late Tuesday night missed the officer but struck a window of a home across the street, Cook County prosecutors said.

No officers fired their guns during the incident, prosecutors said.

After shooting his gun, Thomas tripped and threw his weapon before he continued running, prosecutors said. He was arrested minutes later at 11:45 p.m. after officers found him hiding on a nearby back porch in the 7600 block of North Ashland Avenue.

The confrontation began moments earlier when officers pulled Thomas over after seeing him drive through a stop sign, prosecutors said.

Thomas stopped his vehicle, put his hazards on, stepped out and started walking toward the parked police SUV, prosecutors said. He then allegedly rushed to the SUV’s passenger door and pushed it shut on the leg of the officer who was stepping out.

That officer chased Thomas down the street to the corner in the 1500 block of West Jonquil Terrace. There, Thomas pulled out a handgun from his waistband and fired one shot at the officer, prosecutors said.

Police recovered the gun, its shell casing and a bullet fragment from the window of the home, prosecutors said.

They also found the black hoodie Thomas had been wearing in a nearby trash bag, prosecutors said.

The incident was captured on surveillance video, prosecutors said.

Thomas was charged with attempted first-degree murder of an officer, aggravated battery of a peace officer and habitual criminal.

Thomas has previous a previous weapons conviction and convictions for aggravated DUI possession of a controlled substance and attempted robbery.

He has a temp job and is married with two young children, Thomas’ attorney said.

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