Tipsheet

Off-Duty Chicago Police Officer Gets Shot By Criminals After Trying to Break Up Fight

An off-duty Chicago police officer was shot on Saturday while trying to break up a fight in the Beverly neighborhood and is now paralyzed. WGN 9 reports Demetrius Harrell, 28, Bryant Hayes, 22, and Justen Krismantis, 22, are the suspects in the shooting and are believed to have texted about starting a fight that evening.

Dan Golden was at Sean’s Rhino Bar after playing in the softball fundraiser that raises money for families dealing with cancer. When the fight broke out, Golden attempted to deescalate the situation. After it ended, Golden was shot in the back, according to a GoFundMe set up for the off-duty officer:

"The event was over when one of the offenders ran to his car, pulled a gun out, and fired 20 rounds at the group as they walked away. His younger brother was struck in the leg, receiving a graze wound. Sadly, another bullet struck Dan in the back and severed Dan’s spinal cord, missing his heart by millimeters, resulting in him being permanently paralyzed from the waist down."

Initially, all three were charged with aggravated battery with a firearm. Hayes and Krismantis were eventually charged with attempted murder.

Harrell is on federal parole for a bank robbery he perviously committed.