CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Chicago's official police oversight agency on Tuesday released video and other elements from a fatal crash that took place during a chase on the city’s Lower West Side.
The crash happened on Oct. 1, 2024, at the intersection of 35th Street and Ashland Avenue, after off-duty Chicago police officers on patrol observed two individuals enter a 2007 Lexus sedan, according to the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA).
COPA said the officers “attempted to investigate,” which prompted the individuals to flee in the Lexus with officers giving chase. The sedan continued to the intersection of 35th and Ashland, where it collided with a Kia Soul before crashing into a building. Video of the crash can be seen below.
CONTENT WARNING: The following video shows a fatal car crash that took place on Oct. 1, 2024, in Chicago’s Lower West Side neighborhood. The crash takes place 41 seconds into the video.
According to the initial police report, the passenger of the Lexus was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Kia was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries, and the driver of the sedan was also hospitalized with a leg injury. COPA said two guns were recovered from the scene.
COPA’s statement did not make it clear why the off-duty officers were on patrol, nor did it clarify what specifically the officers were attempting to investigate.
The oversight agency is looking into whether the officers involved in the chase followed the department’s protocols for pursuits.
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