Thursday, April 22, 2010

Suspect charged in Avalon Park police shooting

A motorist who pointed a handgun at officers prompting police to fire shots at him has been charged after the Tuesday night incident in the Avalon Park neighborhood.

Derrick Thornton, 24, of the 9400 block of South Forest Avenue, was charged with aggravated assault to a police officer with a firearm and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon on a person, according to a release from police News Affairs. He was also issued a citation for going the wrong way on a one-way street, the release said.

About 9:15 p.m., uniformed Gresham District officers saw a motorist commit a traffic violation in the 8600 block of of South Drexel Avenue, according to police News Affairs Officer Amina Greer.

Police activated their emergency lights which prompted the motorist to flee northbound, Greer said.

The motorist jumped out of the vehicle on the 8500 block of South Drexel Avenue and attempted to flee on foot, Greer said.

A foot pursuit ensued and at one point, the man pointed a handgun at officers which prompted them to shoot. The police did not strike anyone and no one was injured, Greer said.

The man was apprehended and taken into custody and a weapon was recovered, she said.

Curtis Tarver, a spokesman for the Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates all police-involved shootings, said investigators were called to the Drexel Avenue address about 9:30 p.m.

IPRA and Calumet Area detectives are investigating.

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