Dashcam Shows Chicago Police Shootout With Carjacking Suspect

One day after a carjacking suspect opened fire on officers, the Chicago Police Department swiftly released dramatic dashcam videos from the incident.



Police say the videos show Charles Lawson, 24, firing a gun out of the stolen vehicle’s window. A bullet hit the pursuing squad car, grazing the officer behind the wheel in the face.



Lawson continued to shoot at another responding squad car and officers in that vehicle returned fire, police said. Lawson was not hurt.



He crashed into a parked car near 100th and Eggleston. He appears to toss a gun out of the window, before he's taken into custody. It happened around 10 p.m. Tuesday.



Police say the pursuit started after Lawson carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint. He is now facing a long list of charges including four counts of attempted murder, aggravated battery, possession of a stolen vehicle, aggravated hijacking, and aggravated fleeing and eluding. Lawson was already on parole for armed robbery.

“During questioning, he admitted to stealing the car to use it in a retaliatory shooting, later that evening,” said Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson. Johnson said the injured officer is expected to recover and just weeks ago that same officer was featured in a good deed picture that went viral.

How they helped this disoriented woman Chicago police released the videos as part of the criminal investigation. The Independent Police Review Authority is also conducting a separate use-of-force investigation into the officers’ actions. “This just goes to show how dangerous policing is,” said Johnson.