Chicago Area Local News

CHICAGO (CBS) ― A 37-year-old man was charged Monday night with murder for fatally shooting a veteran police officer over the weekend during a narcotics bust, police said. Lamar Cooper was charged with first-degree murder, three counts of armed habitual criminal and possession of a controlled substance.

The Chicago Police Department is mourning the loss of Officer nathaniel Taylor Jr., the third officer shot dead in just the past three months. 

Taylor Jr., 39, was shot early Sunday while serving a search warrant in the South Shore neighborhood, and later died.

He was the third Chicago Police officer shot and killed in just the past three months, and the second while in the line of duty. Officer Richard Francis, 60, was shot and killed on July 2 when a woman grabbed his gun just outside the Belmont Area Police Headquarters, 2452 W. Belmont Ave. Robin Johnson, 44, was later charged with Francis' murder. Before Francis, the last officer killed in the line of duty was Donald Marquez, who was shot by a 77-yerar-old woman in 2002.

On Aug. 13, off-duty Detective Robert Soto was shot and killed while sitting in his car in the 3000 block of West Franklin Boulevard, along with social worker Kathryn Romberg. That shooting remains unsolved after Jason Austin was charged with both slayings, but later released for lack of evidence.

Fraternal Order of Police President Mark Donahue says there's no question the three officers' deaths sadden the department and hurt morale.

"I hope that's just very bad luck. I hate to think that these are a sign of the times," Donahue said. "It gives them cause to pause and reevaluate what they do every day in performing their duties and stepping in harm's way."

Taylor died about 12 hours after he was shot. On Monday morning officers raised the official flag of mourning and put up purple and black bunting over the doors at Police Headquarters, 3510 S. Michigan Ave.

The 14-year veteran was among those in the narcotics and gang intelligence unit that came to a house in the 7900 block of South Clyde Avenue at about 5:30 a.m. Sunday, according to police News Affairs.

When they approached the house, a man now identified as Lamar Cooper was sitting in his vehicle outside. Police said the man opened fire on the officers, striking Taylor multiple times.

An officer returned fire and wounded the suspect.

Authorities say Taylor was shot in the head, chest and arm and taken to Advocate Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn in critical condition Sunday morning.

After the shooting, officers searched the home finding six surveillance cameras, weapons, drugs and a bullet-proof vest.

Police believed that inside the brick Georgian home, there were drugs, dangerous dogs and counter surveillance equipment – not uncommon in narcotics investigations. Three surveillance cameras were fixed atop the home, which had an ADT security sign and a warning sign with a silhouette of a dog on the front lawn.

Two Rottweilers, Morocco and Rocky, and a mutt named Hulk were taken from the home, according to friends of Cooper.

Officers also searched a maroon sport-utility vehicle parked near the home. Police said a weapon was recovered at the scene.

Dozens of Chicago Police officers held vigil at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, until Taylor passed away at 6:02 p.m. Sunday.

The incident stunned all those who know the officer.

Police Supt. Jody Weis stopped by the home Monday to pay his respects to the family of his fallen officer.

"It's a sad situation. We lost an officer, but they lost a family member, and there's nothing we can do to bring him back," Weis said. "So we're just trying to help the family get through this. We want to help them in any way we can."

The Hundred Club of Cook County will also be there to help the wife and 5-year-old daughter Taylor leaves behind.

Ralph Scheu says his organization presented Taylor's wife with a $50,000 check Monday and he says they'll be there for the family for years to come.

"We want them to know that the public, and that's who we represent, grieves with them and prays with them and is there for them with this thing, because it's so hard for them," Scheu said.

Officer Michael Gant talked to CBS 2's Mike Puccinelli about his colleague and friend. Gant worked with Taylor for 14 years and was honored to have him in his wedding. The two officers lived near one another and shared a love of barbecue and good conversation.

"He'd come by maybe a couple times a week," Gant said. "Like I said... he was a true friend."

"He was just a good-hearted person. Everybody that worked with him in Englewood and the other unit he was in, basically, we all loved him, we all cared for him," said Officer Dailah Goree. "He was a very good guy to everybody. You could never say anything bad about him."

"It's hard to talk about him, because he's always in my heart," said Detective Ron Lewis.

Police sources said Taylor was a very "well liked, stand-up guy," who went out of his way to give advice and self-defense tips to fellow officers. Some undercover officers who asked not to appear on camera Monday said, "We lost a great guy."

Cooper was taken to Stroger Hospital of Cook County and is listed in "very critical condition," a spokesman for the hospital said.

A friend of the suspect told CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot Cooper is not a drug dealer. The friend did not want to be identified.

"It's just sad. He's going to be labeled as the bad guy -- like we'd all be labeled as a bad guy," he said.

Kenneth Hastings said Cooper and his wife, Octavia, were friendly neighbors who often went to the area mosque.

Hastings, the father of Cooper's stepchild, did not know what Cooper did for a living but said he was very "handy" and did construction jobs. Sometimes, he helped with his wife's catering job.

"We just got back from Disney World in July with Lamar," said Hastings.

Hastings' sister, who didn't want her name used, said she believed Cooper owned a gun.

Hastings said hours earlier, police removed a car with eight to 10 bullet holes in the windshield.

"If they were serving a search warrant how do you get eight to 10 bullet holes in a car windshield?" Hastings said.

But police said Cooper does have a criminal record, which includes a conviction for attempted murder.

Calumet Area detectives and the Independent Police Review Authority are investigating.

CBS 2's Joanie Lum and Mike Puccinelli, the Associated Press and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.

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

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