A licensed gun owner was hailed Thursday for his role in helping police in suburban Chicago stop a suspect who was firing an automatic weapon, officials said.

Officials commended the unnamed civilian for his actions as they stood outside a hospital where Cicero police Officer Luis Duarte, 31, was undergoing surgery for four gunshot wounds suffered during the shootout, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

“We were lucky enough to have a citizen on the street there’s who’s a concealed-carry holder, and he’s also engaged in gunfire,” said Cicero police Superintendent Jerry Chlada Jr.

The chaos erupted just after 5 p.m. when Duarte, a four-year-veteran of the department, and his partner tried to pull over a vehicle in Cicero for a routine traffic stop. The driver instead took off onto a ramp leading to Interstate 55, in Chicago’s city limits.

The officers boxed the vehicle in traffic and the suspect got out and began firing the automatic weapon at them as he fled on foot, Fox 32 Chicago reported. The officers returned fire.

The concealed-carry owner then got out of his vehicle and began shooting at the suspect.

“He got out and started helping the police, which is something I’ve got to be proud of,” Cicero town President Larry Dominick told the Sun-Times.

The suspect was hit once but it was not clear if the bullet came from the officers or the concealed-carry holder.

Duarte suffered wounds to an arm, a leg and his abdomen, but was talking and alert ahead of surgery, officials said.

The suspect was taken to a hospital and listed in serious condition. His weapon was found at the scene.

Illinois State Police are investigating the officers’ use of force.

www.foxnews.com/us/2018/09/14/licensed-gun-owner-aids-illinois-cops-in-shootout-with-suspect-1-officer-injured.html

So let me get this straight, they are investigating the Officer's use of force when the suspect opened fire on two cops on a very busy major highway with an illegal automatic weapon...…. Interesting...…. This poor Officers victimized this poor guy with the illegally owned automatic machine gun...…. Just another way for Democrats to protect a violent and dangerous criminal while taking a massive crap on the brave heroic men and women who dedicate their lives to protecting ours.

If Democrats had their way this Officer would probably be dead, the other one seriously injured and innocent civilians seriously hurt or killed. The Democrats want to take all guns away from people, legal or not. The suspect had a gun that was illegal, so the guy would not have been able to own the gun. They also want to ban ordinary citizens from owning guns legally which would have prevented this hero from owning a gun and saving two cops life.

You Don't understand..the gun man's mother drank alcohol when she was pregnant ...it's not his fault.

I believe it is the norm for officer involved shootings to be investigated. I also believe some people suffer from mental illnesses. How far that impacts or should impact the view on the violence they commit is up for debate, but also seems to be more of an acceptable description for some than for others.