2 men charged in Sunday shooting of suburban Chicago police officer who responded to car crash

BEDFORD PARK, Ill. (AP) — Two men have been charged in the weekend shooting that wounded a suburban Chicago police officer after he responded to a reported car crash.

Raul Perez, 24, of Blue Island, faces one count each of attempted first-degree murder of a police officer, attempted aggravated vehicular hijacking and armed habitual criminal in connection with Sunday’s shooting in Bedford Park southwest of Chicago, authorities said.

Luis Gonzalez, 22, of Chicago, was charged with one count of attempted aggravated vehicular hijacking.

Cook County court records show Perez and Gonzalez were ordered detained pending trial during their first court appearance Tuesday, WBBM-TV reported. Both men are due back in court on Dec. 5.

It was not immediately clear whether Perez and Gonzalez have attorneys. An emailed message seeking that information was sent Wednesday to the clerk of Cook County’s circuit court.

The Bedford Park police officer was shot early Sunday and hospitalized in stable condition. He was wounded after officers responding to reports of a car crash found a heavily damaged car that was reported stolen in a Chicago carjacking, Bedford Park police said.

Surveillance footage showed two people fleeing the wrecked car moments before officers spotted them getting into another car at a nearby gas station.

Police said officers approached that car and one of the two people inside would not comply with the officers’ commands. A struggle followed during which Perez allegedly fired several shots at one officer, striking him several times, prosecutors said.