A 34-year-old Chicago police officer was shot twice during an attempted robbery early Monday morning, but the veteran officer's wounds did not appear to be life-threatening, authorities said.
The officer, who has been with the department for 10 years, sustained gunshot wounds to the chest and wrist, Chicago Police Department Superintendent Garry McCarthy said.
The officer's wrist was broken, but the bullet that struck his chest inflicted only superficial damage, the superintendent said.
"He's obviously shaken up, [but] he's in good spirits," McCarthy said, after visiting the officer at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. "Right now it's as good as it could possibly be."
The shooting happened about 12:30 a.m. in the 6300 block of South Nashville Avenue, Chicago Police Department News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro said.
The officer, who was off-duty at the time, fired in self-defense during and may have struck his attacker, McCarthy said.
Officers launched a massive manhunt after the shooting but did not immediately take anyone into custody.
"We're going to catch the guy [who did this]," McCarthy said. "We're going to hold them accountable."
Several family members joined the officer in the hospital after the shooting, the superintendent said. The officer, whose name has not been released, also received a visit from Rev. Daniel J. Brandt, the police department's chaplain.
"I'll say this: God is good," Brandt said afterward. "It could have been a lot worse."
asege@tribune.com
Twitter: @AdamSege
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