CHICAGO COPS MUM ABOUT SHOOTING IN OFFICER'S HOME
Southtown Star
By Steve Metsch
January 14, 2010
Chicago police are releasing few details of a shooting at the home of an off-duty officer that left a man hospitalized with a gunshot wound in the head.
And the police department is refusing to release the name of the officer involved in the incident, even though he has been charged with assault.
The officer was charged after a fracas with police who answered the call of a shooting early Tuesday at his home in the 10700 block of Troy Street, police said.
News affairs officer Robert Perez on Wednesday said the police union contract prevented him from being able to release the name of the officer in question.
Section 6.9 of the contract, titled "Media Information Restrictions," states: "The identity of an officer under investigation shall not be made available to the media unless there has been a criminal conviction or a decision has been rendered by the Police Board (or by the Superintendent). However, if the officer is found innocent, the officer may request and the Department shall issue a public statement."
Mark Donahue, president of Fraternal Order of Police Chicago Lodge 7, did not return two calls for this story.
Cook County state's attorney's office spokesman Andy Conklin said the officer's name is not available because he is charged with a misdemeanor.
"We don't see those names until they come to court," Conklin said.
The officer has been stripped of his police powers and is on desk duty, Perez said.
Aggravated battery charges are possible pending an investigation by Calumet Area detectives, the Independent Police Review Authority and the department's Internal Affairs Division, police said.
Detectives on Tuesday morning said the shooting was an attempted suicide, but Perez said that has not been determined.
"All we have is a person shot. It's still under investigation. We don't know what the final outcome is going to be," Perez said.
The victim was shot once in the head and was in critical but stable condition Wednesday at Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn, police said.
The officer, allegedly highly intoxicated, was charged with misdemeanor assault for becoming combative with a female police sergeant who responded to the scene, police said.
He was released Tuesday on $100 cash bond, according to authorities.
Several officers performed an "emergency take down'' on the officer in order to arrest him, police said .
[police officer involved shooting law enforcement public safety lethal secrecy blue wall of silence blue line mum mike mikey michael laporta beverly Advocate Christ Medical Center]
I am following this report very close and it is amazing how much the police are hiding from the media, not saying anything at all because a fellow cop was involved and released on a 100 dollar bond. If this was a regular joe shmo that tried beating a girl cop and kicked in her car windows on the police squad car whether he was pissed his friend got shot or not we would be in jail for a week and have a 100,000 dollar bond, I just dont think we are treated equal in any way. I just pray that Mike (The Victim) gets well as soon as possible and lets us know the truth.
ReplyDeleteChicago PD is on my top 5 list of departments that keep secrets that should be public information.
ReplyDeletegiving a heads up on mike, he is now breathing on his own, and can open his eyes a little only because his eyes are very swollen still, and when the dr. rubbed his sternum, they told him to grab her hand and sure enough he reached as close as he could and almost touched her hand, that is awesome keep up the prayers and i know he will come out looking great thanks for the prayers and thoughts
ReplyDeletethis is a link for the story of mike's life and his progress please visit and leave a prayer or thought on the blog thanks for all the support: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mikeylaporta
ReplyDeleteChicago police probe shooting in off-duty officer's Southwest Side home
ReplyDeleteFriend is shot in the head with officer's service weapon
Chicago Tribune
By Annie Sweeney Tribune Reporter
January 17, 2010
The last time Michael LaPorta spent time with his family was Monday evening, when they gathered for his father's birthday dinner.
On Friday morning, the family stood vigil at a suburban hospital during a three-hour surgery to remove bullet fragments from LaPorta's head.
Relatives were also awaiting word from Chicago police about how LaPorta wound up shot in the head inside the Southwest Side home of a Chicago police officer, a longtime friend of his.
"The real concern right now is getting him stabilized," said LaPorta's uncle, Joe. "The support from the community and the neighborhood has been unbelievable."
LaPorta, who manages his family's construction business and lives with his girlfriend in far west suburban Sandwich, was found shot in the head inside a home in the 10700 block of South Troy Street early Tuesday morning, police said. His friend, a six-year veteran of the department, had called police at 4:45 a.m. to report that LaPorta was wounded.
The officer has been stripped of his police powers and charged with misdemeanor assault after allegedly becoming combative with responding officers, police said.
Police sources said the officer's weapon was used in the shooting. Detectives had not yet determined what happened inside the home, a department spokesman said.
Investigations by the department's Internal Affairs Division and the Independent Police Review Authority also were pending.
The uncle said LaPorta met the officer for drinks after the birthday dinner. LaPorta stayed with the friend because he was far from home and it was late. The two had attended Brother Rice High School together.
asweeney@tribune.com
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-chicago-police-shooting-bd-1jan17,0,6573463.story
GUESTBOOK FOR MIKEY LAPORTA
ReplyDeletehttp://www.southtownstar.com/news/2028651,020410copshoot.article
ReplyDeleteThis is a newspaper story in the southtown it's a total different story than the combative cop story.. Getting weird everytime they post new accusations. Who do we beleive..
MAN SHOT WHILE AT COP'S HOME PETITIONS FOR INFORMATION
ReplyDeleteChicago Sun-Times
February 3, 2010
A man who was shot in the head last month when the service weapon belonging to an off-duty Chicago Police officer he was with discharged, filed a petition Wednesday requesting the Chicago Police Department, the officer and the bar make available all records relating to the shooting. Michael LaPorta claims that on Jan. 12, he and off-duty Chicago Police officer Patrick Kelly spent “several hours” drinking alcoholic beverages at Brewbakers bar, 10350 S. Western Ave. The two then went back to the officer’s Southwest Side home when Kelly’s service weapon discharged about 4:45 a.m. and struck LaPorta in the back of his head...
href="http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/2028723,drunk-police-officer-shot-friend-suit-020310.article
The real facts are starting to now come out. Patrick Kelly was the off duty cop named in this lawsuit. The facts are starting to reveal that this was not a self inflicted wound...stay on this one the its going to get hot
ReplyDeletePlease just pray for Mikey; if you can do anything at all give him 5 minutes of your time everyday and say a pray. Ask God to Bless his family with his recovery. Please pass this along to all that believe in the power of prayer.
ReplyDeleteDear Laporta's and Battistoni's,
ReplyDeleteOur thoughts and our prayers are with you all.
Love, The Ingersoll's
Question?
ReplyDeleteIf the police officer was involved in any way with holding and firing his service weapon there would be traceable evidence and an immediate arrest would be made for the attempted murder of his dear friend. (but there was not, no gun residue, etc...) these forensics are immediately attainable and all the detectives handling and reviewing this case likely have the answer and have yet to make this information public.
You have to ask yourself why more people are attempting to change the outcome of this story to as one of the posts says "stay on this one the its going to get hot"
It is an unfortunate and terrible incident that occurred and requires no fuel to the fire. Prayer for the injured and wait for the real truth to come out. Like Laporte's father said on the news he does not believe that this was an attempted murder, but disagrees that his son attempted suicide and caused a self inflicted wound... I think that both families are going thru enough hard ache right now....
The health care provider and the Illinois department of insurance should not allow (exclusions) of coverage in a health policy when clearly if this was self-inflicted it is a result of an illness known by many as depression. If this was a terrible accident because 2 intoxicated males were waiving the weapon and an accident shot was set off it will be told. I am certain that Laporte would be very upset that people are speaking of his best friend in the way they are.
it is said how the world and the people in the world work to change stories to sound more excited and eventful than they are...
On the police department there is a code of silent! We see it everyday. Bad cops .
DeletePray for both men involved. Mikey and Pat. I am ann old friend that lived near them at SIU. This is a horrible thing.
ReplyDeletefor those that think the chicago police dept is "hiding behind the blue wall" to protect the officer are sadly mistaken. when u verbally threaten someone whether its the police or not--it is called ASSAULT which is a misdemeanor. the officer-acted worse than any thug criminal that nite. as far as what really happened with the shooting--i have my opinion since i was there. but the lab results/tests are not done yet-it take weeks if not months. i hope the victim recovers and tells us what really happens. the officer deserves to be fired at the very least. the officer should be thankful thats the on duty police didnt hospitalize him.
ReplyDeleteHas there been any updates to this story?
ReplyDeleteThere was only gun powder residue on the victim, therefore proving he was drunk, depressed and attempting suicide . I love how quick people are to jump on police, even when they had no part in the tragic shot.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for that suicidal Guy to be able to speak because most of You will feel like jerks. Pat is innocent of these allegations. If there was any evidence of wrong doing, he would be in jail. The victims family is just wanting money to pay the medical bills because no insurance company is going to pay for suicide related garbage. This story is insane and you people should be ashamed accusing an officer.
by the way, that female officer lied, there was witnesses and it was thrown out.
The only way it is going to come out is if people who know tell. The department won't ever let this out.
ReplyDeleteIn this day, do you assclown really think that every single officer involved in the investigation would be onboard to cover up this for a PO they don't know. And risk losing their jobs. You are high if you think that. Signed stink finger 106.
ReplyDeleteYes. In this day and age. Moreso now than ever. And I agree, especially CPD.
DeleteIn the Court of Cook County Illinois Michael LaPorta petitioner v. Patrick Kelly, The City of Chicago, The City of Chicago Police Department and Brewbakers respondents Complaint in Discovery
ReplyDeletehttp://dig.abclocal.go.com/wls/documents/complaint.pdf