Palatine officer shoots man who tried to hit him with vehicle

(PALATINE) A Palatine police officer shot a man Thursday evening after the man allegedly tried to hit two officers with a vehicle in the northwest suburb.

Officers were conducting an “active drug investigation” in the parking lot of an apartment complex in the 500 block of North Quentin Road about 7:40 p.m., according to a statement from Palatine police. They found a 26-year-old man who refused to get out of his vehicle after they told him he was under arrest.

The man put the vehicle in reverse and backed into a parked vehicle, before shifting into drive and accelerating toward two officers, police said. One of the officers, a 10-year veteran of the department, then fired his gun at the man.

The suspect drove off and was found a short time later in the 1400 block of Winslowe Drive in Palatine, according to police. He had suffered a gunshot wound to the leg.

He was taken into custody and transported to Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, police said. The officer who shot him was also taken to the hospital for observation in accordance with department policy and was later released.

The Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force, the Cook County state’s attorney’s office and the Palatine Police Department are investigating the shooting.

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