Police Chase Suspect Through Three Metro East Towns

FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, IL (KTVI) – A Fairview Heights police officer and a suspect were rushed to the hospital with gunshot wounds after a police chase through three cities early Thursday morning.

According to Jim Morrisey of the Illinois State Police, someone had been breaking into area hotels lately.  Just before 2 a.m. Thursday, a Fairview Heights officer noticed a car leave a hotel parking and commit a traffic violation.  That officer pulled the car over.

The stop went well, until K-9 officers came to the scene for backup.

‘As the officers reapproached,’ Morrisey explained.  ‘The driver of the vehicle discharged a weapon multiple times.  One of the officers received injury to a hand.  The three officers on the scene returned fire, striking the suspect multiple times.’

The driver took off, through Fairview Heights and Belleville.  His Camaro crashed into a garage in Centreville at Lake Drive and Pershing Street.  There were bullet holes in the door.  From there, the driver was taken to a hospital and into custody facing several possible charges.

‘Attempted murder, that would be the most serious charge,’ Morrisey said.  ‘He fired at a police officer.  Or aggravated battery, there’s a multitude of charges that the state’s attorney would be reviewing.”

The 27-year-old black male suspect went to a St. Louis, Missouri hospital in unknown condition.  His car stayed at the scene, while police applied for search warrants from the Illinois State Attorney`s Office.  The officer was able to walk and talk while he was taken to the hospital.  There was a 21-year-old female passenger.  Morrisey said Fairview Heights police would look into any charges for her.  Illinois State Police – at the request of Fairview Heights and per standard procedure for officer-involved shootings – will look into the officer`s actions.

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