Cop kills angry dad after motorcyle accident

ANTHONY BARTKEWICZ

Monday, August 13, 2012

 

An off-duty Chicago police officer injured a 4-year-old girl with his motorcycle, and then shot and killed her outraged father.

Fraternal Order of Police Spokesman Pat Camden said the cop “fired in defense of his life,” the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

The 43-year-old officer, an eight-year veteran of the force, intentionally ditched his motorcycle Saturday night in Maywood when he saw the little girl – identified by WLS-TV as Taniyah Middleton – suddenly run into his path.

The downed bike skidded down the street, slamming into the 4-year-old and her 18-year-old cousin John Passley, who had rushed to help her.

As the officer tried to help, her 26-year-old dad, Christopher Middleton, came out of a nearby restaurant.

Officials said he was visibly angry and shouting. After the officer identified himself as a cop, Middleton punched him in the face and continued to pummel him after he fell to the ground.
Passley allegedly joined in by kicking the officer.

“He was about to lose consciousness to people beating him,” Camden said.

The cop drew his gun and fired once at Middleton. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital later Saturday night, leaving behind a 6-year-old son and an unborn child as well as his daughter.

"Chris was a great father," Middleton's cousin, Mathis Hoskin, said. "He was always helpful, never mad - always happy with a smile on his face."

Taniyah spent the night in the hospital for contusions and abrasions, according to the Sun-Times. The officer suffered possible broken bones from the motorcycle accident, as well as contusions from the beating.

"Her face was skinned, skin on her face," Darrell Davis, Middleton's uncle, said. "She's in a lot of pain right now."

Maywood residents held a prayer vigil Sunday night.


Cops questioned Passley, and the Independent Police Review Authority is looking into the shooting.