Trooper dies after shooting on Chicago expressway
An Illinois State Police trooper has died after being shot on the Dan Ryan Expressway on Chicago’s South Side
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.An Illinois State Police trooper died Friday after being shot on the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago authorities said, on the same day the state started stepping up patrols in response to a surge in shootings involving motorists in the city.
The trooper was pronounced dead at 2:16 p.m. Friday at the University of Chicago Medical Center, said Natalia Derevyanny, a spokeswoman for the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office. An autopsy will be conducted, she said.
Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly identified the dead officer as 36-year-old District Chicago Trooper Gerald Mason.
“He was an amazing District Chicago trooper,” Kelly said during a brief news conference Friday evening.
Kelly said there was no threat to public safety or law enforcement.
Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said the shooting occurred shortly before 2 p.m. on the inbound lanes of the Dan Ryan at 43rd Street on the city's South Side
A day earlier, the Illinois State Police announced it would more than double patrols in the Chicago area beginning Friday, in response to a surge in shootings on expressways over the past two years.
There have been more than 185 shootings on expressways in the region this year, according to the agency, compared to a total of about 130 shootings last year, and just over 50 in 2019.