'Several' being questioned in Bailey's death

Police were questioning several people in the shooting death of Chicago Police Officer Michael R. Bailey, authorities said early this morning.

Police would not say how many people they were talking to, but did say the individuals were being questioned into the overnight hours. The development in the case comes after Bailey's funeral was held Friday at St. Sabina Catholic Church.

Officers plan to canvass the Park Manor neighborhood, where the shooting occurred, beginning at 11 a.m. today, distributing flyers seeking information leading to the arrest and conviction in the case.

About 6 a.m. Sunday, the 62-year-old Bailey arrived in front of his Park Manor home in the 7400 block of South Evans Avenue after guarding Mayor Richard Daley's home during his overnight shift, when he was approached by attackers who tried to rob him or steal his new Buick Regal.

Gunfire was exchanged between Bailey and at least one of his attackers during the encounter. Bailey, a 20-year Police Department veteran, was shot and pronounced dead less than an hour later at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Sources have said three guns, one of them belonging to Bailey, were found on the scene. Police radio bulletins indicated a male teen was being sought in connection with the shooting, in addition to a car that may have fled the scene.

Bailey, who was assigned to the Central police district, was in his uniform at the time of his encounter with his killer or killers.

Bailey, who police said was supposed to turn 63--the mandatory retirement age for the department--next month, had recently purchased the Buick to celebrate his retirement, sources have said.

He was the third Chicago police officer to be slain in the last two months.

On May 19, Officer Thomas Wortham IV, a military veteran who had just completed two tours in Iraq, was shot and killed outside his parents Chatham home by attackers who wanted to steal his motorcycle. On July 7, Officer Thor Soderberg was fatally shot with his own gun by a man who stole it from him during a struggle outside a police station in Englewood.

Arrests have been made in both those slayings.