For the third time in the last three months, a Chicago police officer was killed.
For the third time in the last three months, a Chicago police officer was killed. Nathaniel Taylor Jr., a 14-year veteran of the department, came under fire Sunday while executing a search warrant on the South Side. He was the second officer killed in the line of duty since July. Taylor, 39, and three other narcotics officers arrived at the home of Lamar Cooper in the 7900 block of South Clyde Avenue about 5:30 a.m., when police said gunfire erupted. Cooper, as he sat inside a vehicle in front of his home, allegedly shot Taylor in the head and chest once the officers arrived. Officers shot back, injuring Cooper. Taylor, a married father of one daughter, was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn and succumbed to his injuries at 6:02 p.m. Cooper, 37, a convicted felon, is in stable condition at Stroger Hospital. He served time for attempted murder and burglary. Police said the officers went to raid Cooper’s home for drugs and guns, which were later recovered. They also said bags of drugs were found inside of Cooper’s mouth. The incident was the second police-involved shooting this last weekend. The last African American Chicago police officer killed in the line of duty was Eric Lee in 2001. On Saturday, officers fatally shot a man in the 7700 block of South Kedzie Avenue after they arrived at the scene for a domestic call. Police said they observed the man stabbing a victim. When he failed to stop, they shot him. Both shootings are under investigation by the Independent Police Review Authority. ______ Copyright 2008 Chicago Defender. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.