Man, 31, held without bail after shot fired at CPD officer in Rogers Park
A 31-year-old man was ordered to be held without bail Friday after he was arrested and accused of shooting at a Chicago police officer in Rogers Park earlier in the week.
Timothy Thomas is facing charges of attempted murder of a police officer and armed habitual criminal, prosecutors said. He appeared before Judge John Lyke Jr. at the Leighton Criminal Court Building broadcasted on YouTube.
About 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Thomas was driving eastbound on Jonquil Terrace and turned right onto Bosworth Avenue, where he drove past a stop sign at the intersection, prosecutors said.
After completing the turn, Thomas was facing police officers, who were on patrol in an unmarked squad car, and saw the traffic violation, prosecutors said.
The officers passed Thomas and started to make a U-turn in the intersection as Thomas continued south, prosecutors said. The officers then activated their lights and pulled Thomas over in the 7600 block of North Bosworth Avenue.
Thomas, who was the only person in the car, turned on the hazard lights, prosecutors said. As the officers got out of the squad car, Thomas got out of his car and walked toward the passenger side of the squad car, where an officer was sitting.
The officers told Thomas to stop as the officer opened his door and had one leg out of the car, prosecutors said. Thomas then rushed the passenger door and pushed it, pinning the officer’s leg.
Thomas then ran northbound on Bosworth, and the officers started to chase him, prosecutors said. As Thomas got to a corner, the partner of the officer whose leg was pinned ran back to the squad car to cut off Thomas in the alley while the officer continued running after him.
As Thomas turned the corner, his hand went to his waistband and his elbow rose, so the officer running after him slowed down and took a wider approach, prosecutors said.
Thomas then ran westbound on Jonquil Terrace, turned the corner and fired one round, which went across the intersection and through a window of a home in the 7600 block of North Bosworth Avenue, prosecutors said. The officer was feet away from the corner and closing on Thomas when the shot was fired.
Thomas then fell on the sidewalk and tossed the gun into the street, prosecutors said. He got up and ran into an alley, where the officer turned the corner with his weapon drawn.
No officer fired shots, prosecutors said.
The officer who was shot at found Thomas at the top floor of a multi-story back porch in the 7600 block of North Ashland Avenue about seven minutes after the shooting, prosecutors said.
A .40 caliber handgun was later found in the 1500 block of West Jonquil Terrace, and one shell casing was found on the opposite sidewalk, prosecutors said. A POD camera at the corner of the intersection captured the shot fired.
Thomas has previously been convicted for charges including possession of a controlled substance, aggravated DUI and attempted robbery, prosecutors said.
Thomas’ next court date is scheduled for Oct. 12.
