CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Chicago Police Board has decided to fire a police officer for shooting his childhood friend more than 11 years ago and then lying about what had happened.
The Police Board said Officer Patrick Kelly, Star 19397, lied about shooting his friend Michael LaPorta after the two had been drinking in a couple of Beverly bars on Jan. 12, 2010. Kelly had claimed in a 911 call that LaPorta committed suicide for no apparent reason by shooting himself in the back of the head using his left hand with Kelly’s service revolver in Kelly’s home. It was only while Kelly was on the phone with 911, he realized his friend was still alive.
LaPorta’s uncle said his nephew only shoots with his right hand. The shooting left LaPorta permanently disabled, and when he was able to finally testify in 2016, he said the shooting stemmed from an argument over Kelly yelling at and hitting his own dog.
The Chicago Police Board called Kelly’s actions “reckless, violent and unjustified” and said his dishonesty makes him unfit to be a police officer.
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