Preckwinkle Promises Public Notice After Bodyguard Fired Gun

CHICAGO — Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle promised in a Friday statement to notify the public whenever her security detail is involved in an "act of violence," after a member of her detail shot at a carjacker last month.

"In the unfortunate event that my Executive Detail is faced with another act of violence, a brief public notification will be issued that continues to ensure the safety and security of my staff, myself and does not compromise any ongoing investigation," Preckwinkle said in a statement.

The board president drew criticism this week when CWB Chicago reported a Forest Preserves officer stationed outside her South Side home fired a gun at someone who police later said tried to steal his vehicle.

EARLIER: Officer On Preckwinkle's Security Team Fired Shots At Carjacker

Details surrounding the incident were few. Chicago police did not update their major incidents log following the shooting, and Cook County Forest Preserves officials were only able to confirm the officer returned shots after a person fired at him.

In her statement, Preckwinkle initially said it was up to law enforcement officials to notify the public, not her.

"To protect the integrity of an ongoing investigation, we followed the standard procedure of allowing the lead law enforcement agency, CPD, to determine what information is shared and when," she wrote.

According to CWB Chicago, the incident occurred on Sept. 27 but was not made public until last week.

A statement from the Cook County Forest Preserves District confirmed an officer stationed outside Preckwinkle's home on the 5100 block of South Kimbark Avenue "fired shots during an attempted carjacking" around 8:30 p.m.

A spokeswoman for the district said the officer is a member of Preckwinkle's protection detail, but she could not give additional details for fear of disclosing "operational procedures."

Chicago police listed the incident as an attempted carjacking of a man sitting inside a car. At the time, they said no shots were fired, and no injuries were reported.

CWB reported Chicago police were looking into whether an 18-year-old man found with a gunshot wound to the knee nearly three miles from Preckwinkle's Hyde Park home was shot by the officer.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported a source told the news outlet the officer returned fire when an armed person shot at them while trying to take their vehicle.

Preckwinkle's security detail used to be made up of officers in the Cook County Sheriff's department, but issues involving the chain of command led to the detail being staffed by officers from Cook County's Department of Emergency Management and later from the Forest Preserves Department of Law Enforcement.