A police officer in south suburban Lynwood was hit by gunfire while responding to reports of a shooting in Ford Heights that left one person dead early Saturday morning, the Cook County sheriff’s office said.
The unidentified Lynwood officer responded to a 3 a.m. call to assist sheriff’s officers in the 1400 block of Ambassador Lane, a residential neighborhood in the adjacent south suburb. They arrived to find a male gunshot victim and began rendering medical aid. The unidentified man was then transported to Franciscan Health in Munster, where he was pronounced dead, according to police.
After treating the victim, police were shot at by unknown assailants, wounding the Lynwood officer. The officers returned fire and the assailants fled, police said.
The Lynwood officer suffered a graze wound in the shooting and was taken to Franciscan Health, where he was treated and released.
Ford Heights does not have its own police force and is policed ​​by the Cook County Sheriff.
There were no reports of additional injuries and no suspects have been identified by police in the ongoing investigation.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the Cook County Sheriff’s Office at 708-865-4896.
