Chicago officer among 10 killed, at least 73 injured in weekend shootings

CHICAGO (WGN) — At least 73 people were shot, 10 fatally, in Chicago from 6 p.m. Friday through midnight Sunday, according to police.

One of the fatalities includes a Chicago police officer who was killed during a traffic stop on the city’s Southwest Side Saturday night. A second officer was injured and remains in the hospital in critical condition.

The slain officer has been identified as 29-year-old Ella French.

Police said officers were conducting a traffic stop in a West Englewood neighborhood just around 9 p.m. According to police, the occupants inside the vehicle opened fire towards the officers, leading to an exchange of gunfire.

Both officers were struck and taken to the hospital where French died from her injuries. Her partner remains in critical condition at the University of Chicago, according to police.

Three people are in custody.

French was assigned to the police department’s community safety team working with the gun task force. She is the first line of duty death for the department in nearly three years. She is the fifth female CPD officer to be killed while on-duty.

Other shootings:

Police said seven people were shot inside a lounge on the South Side early Sunday morning, with one person dying from their injuries.

According to police, a 37-year-old man was in a verbal altercation with a 24-year-old man inside of a lounge at approximately 2:05 a.m. when the 24-year-old man revealed a handgun and opened fire.

The 37-year-old man was struck twice to the neck and three times to the back and taken to Christ Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The perpetrator was also struck several times throughout the body and was listed in critical condition at Christ Hospital after being taken into custody.

There were five other people struck by gunfire in the incident.

— A 40-year-old man was killed and four other people were injured in a shooting in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood Monday morning, according to police.

Police said two male security guards were working the front door of a club at approximately 12:48 a.m. when they became engaged in a verbal altercation with an unknown man who was refused entrance to the club. The man then revealed a firearm and shot multiple times before fleeing the scene.

There is no one in custody and the shooting is under investigation.

In a recent shooting, a 38-year-old man was standing outside when an unknown male approached on foot and fired shots, striking him in the torso, according to police. The victim was transported to Loyola University Medical Center in serious condition.