Politics & Government

Wounded Mount Greenwood Police Officer Part of Trio Honored by City Council

Officer Mark Pickert, whose actions saved the life of a fellow officer, was honored by the Chicago City Council for his work with the Gang Enforcement Team.

A Mount Greenwood resident was honored by Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the City Council Thursday after he was wounded in the line of duty. 

Officer Mark Pickert, of Mt. Greenwood, and fellow officers Rodney Jones and Jameka Sherrod of Gang Enforcement Team 6721 were saluted for their actions while on a call a last year. 

According to the resolution, on Feb. 19, 2012, the three officers were responding to a "man with a gun" call in the 6800 block of South Stone Avenue. When the trio arrived on the scene they saw a man running across the street and immediately called in his description. 

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Then, several more men started running and the officers pursued them on foot. Pickert began to chase one man, while Sherrod pursued the other. Sherrod caught the man and brought him to the ground. The man had a handgun sticking out of his sleeve and she called Pickert to assist her.

The man then pointed the gun at Sherrod's face. Pickert was able to push her head to the side just at the moment the man pulled the trigger on the gun, saving her life. The bullet hit Pickert in the hand. Sherrod suffered a ruptured eardrum.

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Jones then shouted at the man to drop the gun, after he refused Jones shot him and kicked the .45 caliber semi-automatic Glock out of his hand.

The man, Cortez Ross, 23, of the 4300 block of South Champlain Avenue, was later charged with multiple counts of first-degree attempted murder, aggravated battery of a police officer with a firearm, resisting an officer and aggravated battery with a firearm.

The trio was honored for their bravery at the council's April 11 meeting with an official resolution.   


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