A 34-year-old Chicago man faces charges of attempted murder against one city police officer and charges of aggravated battery against another after an officer-involved shooting on July 3, Chicago police announced Sunday night.
In all, Malik Wrightsell, of the 4600 block of S. Cottage Grove Ave., faces seven counts. He was the charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery to a peace officer, aggravated assault of a peace officer, resisting or obstructing a peace officer, and two weapons offenses. He also received a a ticket for operating a non-highway vehicle. A detention hearing is scheduled for Monday.
Police say officers stopped what they described as a homemade or non-highway vehicle in the 2000 block of East 79th Street. The traffic stop escalated into a foot pursuit and gunfire once Wrightsell initially fled, Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling said on Friday.
During the encounter, police said Wrightsell pulled a firearm from a bag and shot one officer in the abdomen. The round was stopped by the officer’s ballistic vest. That officer returned fire, striking Wrightsell multiple times. A second officer was also struck in the arm during the altercation.
The officers, identified by Chicago Sun-Times sources as Carl Williams, 27, and Esteban Cervantes, 30, were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. Both have been with the department for four years. Cervantes underwent surgery for a gunshot wound to the arm, Mayor Brandon Johnson said on Friday. Both officers have been placed on routine administrative duties for at least 30 days.
Wrightsell was taken into custody on South Chappell Avenue shortly after the shooting and transported to Northwestern Hospital in critical condition. A firearm was recovered at the scene, police said.
Friday’s shooting led to a heavy police response in the area, with multiple officers responding, including crime scene technicians and investigators from the Civilian Office of Police Accountability and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. A mobile command center was also set up while evidence teams investigated.
At a briefing outside the University of Chicago Medical Center, Snelling and Mayor Brandon Johnson said the officers’ actions likely prevented further harm. Johnson praised the officers’ service, noting the broader risks faced by police during a busy holiday weekend.