Chicago City Wire

A Democrat seeking to challenge Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2023 has criticized Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx for failing to charge a man who shot and injured a police officer with attempted murder.

Paul Vallas took to Twitter on Tuesday demanding charges against three men accused in the shooting be changed.

"So deliberately shooting/critically wounding a CPD Officer is not grounds for attempted murder in Kim Foxx's world? Those charges need to be amended immediately to attempted murder or Foxx should resign and no bond," Vallas tweeted. "What an absolute disgrace!"

In an earlier tweet, Vallas asked, "When will our leaders take action to ensure severest consequences for anyone who shoots at a police officer?"

According to WGN, off-duty Chicago Police officer Dan Golden, 32, was shot in the back leaving him paralyzed from the waist down while trying to de-escalate a fight on July 8 in Beverly. Demitrius Harrell, Bryant Hayes and Justen Kirsmantis are all facing charges stemming from the shooting including unlawful use of a weapon and aggravated battery, both felonies. Harrell is no stranger to law enforcement and was charged with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2017 and attempted bank robbery the following year. 

In 2020, 80 Chicago Police officers were either shot or shot at. Last year, that number decreased by four to 76. According to a report by Wirepoints, from 2014-2019 the average number of Chicago cops shot at came in at about 20. In 2021, two CPD officers were killed. As of June 8, 25 Chicago Police officers have been shot at in 2022.