By Elizabeth Owens-Schiele
Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO — An off-duty Schaumburg officer stopped an armed robbery in progress, saving the victim of a teen offender who had a knife and brass knuckles, police said.
The 17-year police veteran, who the department said wishes to remain anonymous, was driving out of the parking lot of at Meineke Recreation Center on Tuesday afternoon when he spotted the altercation, said Lt. Shawn Green, of the Schaumburg Police Department.
The offender, who turned out to be 16, was holding a retractable knife and demanding money from a male who was holding his hands up in the air, according to a news release. The officer slammed on his brakes and got out of the car as the victim ran toward the building with the offender following.
“The officer identified himself because he was in shorts and a T-shirt,” Green said. “Then the offender turned toward him aggressively, and the officer had to defend himself and take him to the ground.”
The off-duty officer disarmed the offender, and two onlookers also intervened to help the officer restrain the teen until on-duty police arrived.
The 16-year-old was charged in juvenile court with attempted armed robbery, unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated battery to a peace officer, resisting a peace officer and criminal damage to property, police said. He also was wanted on a bond forfeiture warrant for a battery case in McHenry County.
Officials suspect the robbery motive was to get money for drugs, Green said.
The victim was not injured, police said. The off-duty officer was treated at the scene for bumps and bruises from the altercation with the boy.
“The officer’s anonymity speaks to the selflessness of the act itself and illustrates that kind of action is just in his DNA, whether he’s on or off duty and sees someone in trouble,” Green said. “Afterward, he could be treated as a hero but instead he just wants to be back doing his job.”
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