Chicago Area Local News

CHICAGO (CBS) ― A Chicago Police officer died Monday afternoon, several hours after he was shot in the head in the South Side's Englewood community.

News of  27-year-old Alejandro "Alex" Valadez's death was confirmed by Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis.  He said the officer had been on life support and died at 2:40 p.m.

"(He was) a great officer," Weis told reporters. "But unfortunately, he fell victim to the violence that plagues this city. It's just a very, very sad day for the Chicago Police Department."

Weis said police have suspects in mind but declined to elaborate.

Valadez's shooting happened just after midnight in the 6000 block of South Hermitage Avenue as the officer, who wore plain clothes, was responding to a report of shots fired and a person with a gun, Weis said during a news briefing earlier Monday.

A vehicle with "more than one individual'' inside drove by and fired several rounds at the officer, striking the officer once in the leg and once in the head, Weis said. Valadez's partner was with him, according to Weis.

The officer was taken to Stroger Hospital, according to Fire Media Affairs Director Larry Langford. Fellow officers and family members were in and out of the hospital visiting all day, waiting for updates on his condition.

Weis, who came to the earlier media briefing straight from visiting the officer at Stroger Hospital, said the visit was "incredibly difficult."

"It's like everyone got punched in the stomach," Weis said. "You walk around the hospital. There's young officers -- they're in tears. Many of them do not have a lot of time on the job now, they realize how dangerous it it."

The officer was described by everyone who knows him as a good cop.

Sources say the officer had a brother and sister who are also officers, as was his girlfriend, who was assigned to the same district as he is. 

Weis said the Englewood District tactical unit officer had more than three years on the force.

Weis would not comment on unconfirmed reports that the offending vehicle was found an hour after the shooting just a couple of blocks from the crime scene.

A blue, brown or gray vehicle with light color "wheel flares" was reportedly seen fleeing the scene and heading northbound from 6000 block of Hermitage Avenue with four males inside, according to unconfirmed dispatch reports.

About 1:15 a.m. the vehicle police think may have been used in the shooting had been found in the 6100 block of South Paulina Street, with shell casings inside it, according to a law enforcement source, who said the vehicle is registered to someone who lives close to where the vehicle was found. 

Valadez was the first Chicago police officer killed in the line of duty since Nathaniel Taylor was slain last September. 

More recently, last week, Officer Densey Cole II was critically injured last Wednesday when he was involved in a two-vehicle crash as he was responding to a burglary in progress at the intersection of West 98th and South Halsted streets.

"These are very violent times and our officers are out there every day," Weis said. "They risk their lives trying to make a difference."

Monday afternoon, officers continued to patrol and search for the gunman. Outside Valadez's Southwest Side home, a police SUV sat parked, keeping watch.

Julia Gonzalez, a neighbor of the officer, described him as a good neighbor and friendly. Gonzalez said the officer went out of his way to help her when she told him of an injured bunny in her backyard.

"He called 311 and the city came for [the bunny]," she said.

Gonzalez said the officer moved into his home about a year ago and was often working on home-improvement projects with his father.

"I feel so sad because it's hard for me to hear that," Gonzalez said of learning that her neighbor was in the hospital.

"I feel safer living here because there is a police officer living next door," she said. "I hope he is OK. I'll pray for him."


CBS 2's Roseanne Tellez, Jim Williams and Susan Carlson and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Editor's Picks

• Gay Celebrities
• Did You Know? Stars From Chicago!
• Celebs Who Lean To The Right
• Real Or Fake?