FBI Warns Chicago Police Of Gang Plot To Shoot On Sight Any Cop With Weapon Drawn
The FBI has warned The Chicago Police Department about an alleged gang threat to shoot any cop that has a weapon drawn on a person in public.
“In support of that mission, we regularly share critically important intelligence regarding violent crime and officer safety with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners,” the FBI spokesperson said.
Chicago Police Supt. David Brown said, “I think it’s bigger than a suggestion. I think 51 officers being shot at or shot in one year, I think that quadruples any previous year in Chicago’s history.”
“So I think it’s more than a suggestion that people are seeking to do harm to cops,” he added.
From Fox News:
The Chicago Police Department has confirmed to Fox News the existence of an intelligence alert reportedly sent out by the FBI warning area law enforcement of a pact among street gangs “to ‘shoot on-sight any cop that has a weapon drawn on any subject in public’.”
The “Potential Activity Alert” from FBI officials was sent out Aug. 26, according to ABC7, which says it has obtained a copy of it.
“We have been made aware of this threat by a law enforcement partner,” a Chicago police spokesperson told Fox News on Tuesday. “The Chicago Police Department takes all threats against officer safety seriously and we will take all necessary measures to safeguard our officers.”
The alert — which mentions around 36 gangs, including the Latin Kings and Vice Lords — says “members of these gang factions have been actively searching for, and filming, police officers in performance of their official duties,” ABC7 says.
“The purpose of which is to catch on film an officer drawing his/her weapon on any subject and the subsequent ‘shoot on-site’ of said officer, in order to garner national media attention,” it added, according to the station.
From ABC:
The FBI alert, headlined “Pact Made by People Nation Gang Factions to ‘Shoot On-Site’ Any Police Officer with a Weapon Drawn” lists street gangs that have become well-known in Chicago the past five decades, from the Latin Kings and Vice Lords to the El Rukns and Black P Stones.
Supt. Brown said on Monday the spike in attacks on police makes it clear to him that “people are seeking to do harm to cops.”
“We need police officers and as community members we need to push back fervently against lawlessness,” Brown said.
In a statement to the I-Team Chicago police say they are aware of the gang threat; take all threats against officer safety seriously and say they will take all necessary measures to safeguard officers. Federal authorities have not offered any further information concerning the intelligence bulletin.