CHICAGO (AP). A Illinois State Police trooper was killed in a shooting incident on Friday at the Dan Ryan Expressway in Chicago. The incident occurred on Friday, according to authorities. It happened on the same day that the state increased patrols in an effort to combat a rise in motorist-involved shootings in Chicago.
According to Natalia Derevyanny (a spokeswoman for Cook County Medical Examiners), the trooper was declared dead at 2:06 p.m. on Friday. She said that an autopsy would be performed.
Brendan Kelly, Director of Illinois State Police, identified the deceased officer as Gerald Mason, District Chicago Trooper 36 years old.
Kelly stated that he was an outstanding District Chicago trooper during a short news conference on Friday evening.
Kelly stated that there was no threat for public safety or law enforcement.
Larry Langford, a spokesperson for the Chicago Fire Department, stated that the shooting took place shortly before 2:20 p.m. in the Dan Ryan's inbound lanes at 43rd Street on Chicago's South Side.
The Illinois State Police had announced a day earlier that it would double the number of patrols in Chicago starting Friday in response to an increase in shootings along expressways in the past two years.
According to the agency, there have been more than 185 shootings on expressways this year. This is compared to the total of 130 shootings last and just over 50 in 2019.
