CHICAGO — Investigators on Monday confirmed that the man fatally shot by a Chicago police officer during a domestic-related incident on the South Side last week pointed a gun at the officer before being shot.
Devon L. Smith, 43, who had previous convictions for attempted murder and home invasion, died shortly after the confrontation inside a bedroom in the 900 block of East 100th Street around 7:04 a.m. last Thursday.
COPA, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, said today that its preliminary investigation found officers responded to the home to handle a domestic altercation.
One of the officers discovered Smith and the victim in a bedroom, COPA said, and Smith was armed.
“As the victim fled the room, the armed individual pointed a firearm in the direction of the officer,” COPA said in a press release. “The officer discharged their weapon, striking the individual.”
Smith was pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Hospital.
COPA said body-worn cameras recorded the initial moments of the incident as well as the shooting. The agency will release the videos and other materials within 60 days of the shooting, unless prohibited by a court order.
After the shooting, CPD said the female victim and the officer who shot Smith were also taken to hospitals, but the department did not say why they sought treatment.
In accordance with CPD policy, the officer who killed Smith will be placed on administrative duties for at least 30 days.
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