Carjacker Sought; Oak Forest Cop, Construction Worker Hurt

OAK FOREST, IL — A man responsible for two armed carjackings is still at large Thursday night following a chase that injured an Oak Forest police officer, who opened fire while trying to make an arrest, according to authorities. A construction worker also was hurt as the carjacker fled police, causing an accident that shut down 159th Street and Cicero Avenue shut down.

According to authorities, the first cajacking happened just before noon Thursday, Oct. 18, in a restaurant parking lot in the 7800 block of 159th Street in Orland Park. A man and woman had exited their 2016 Dodge Charger when they were approached by a man, who brandished a handgun and demanded the woman’s purse and the keys to the Dodge, police said.

Driving off in the couple's car, the man was spotted speeding east on 159th Street from Central Avenue by Oak Forest police. While trying to turn north on Cicero Avenue, the man hit a construction worker and then fled the accident scene on foot, authorities said.

Oak Forest police chased the man east on 159th Street, where he hijacked a second vehicle, police said. When police tried to make an arrest, the man hit an officer and ran him over. The officer was able to fire at the suspect, who fled in a stolen white Mazda and was last seen driving east on 159th Street from Pulaski Avenue.

RELATED: Woman Forced Out Of Car, Told To Lay On Ground During Carjacking

The Oak Forest police officer was taken to Palos Health and was treated for a lower extremity injury and arm injury. The officer has since been released after treatment.

The pedestrian construction worker was taken Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn where he is currently in stable condition.

The suspect is described as a male black in his early twenties, 5-foot-8-inches to 6 feet tall, with a medium build. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black pants.

On Wednesday, there was a carjacking in Oak Lawn from a parking lot. The suspect in the Oak Lawn case did not display nor did he infer that he had weapon.

Anyone who can help identify the suspect in this case is asked to contact Orland Park Police at 708-349-4111 or crimetips@orlandpark.org; Oak Forest police at -708-687-1376; or 911.

Patch will continue to update story.

Patch editor Lorraine Swanson also contributed

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