Crime & Law

Chicago’s Top Cop Refutes Claims His Officers Didn’t Respond to Calls for Service From Federal Agents

Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling rejected claims his officers failed to respond to a pair of incidents involving federal agents in the city over the weekend, saying more than two dozen officers were affected by chemical gas deployed by the agents.

Snelling on Monday refuted statements that his officers were told not to respond to the calls for service Saturday, one of which allegedly involved a federal agent shooting a woman and a second that involved vehicles allegedly attempting to “box in” federal vehicles.

“Those who will tell you that our officers weren’t there, say that to the 27 officers who were affected by the chemical agents that were deployed by federal agents,” he said in a press conference.

In a press statement, the Department of Homeland Security claimed Border Patrol law enforcement officers were “ambushed” Saturday after a man and woman allegedly rammed their vehicles into the agent’s vehicles ahead of the shooting.

In that statement, DHS claimed that after Gov. JB Pritzker’s “refusal to allow local police to help secure the scene,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem deployed special operations teams to the scene.

Pritzker has no purview over CPD deployments and Snelling on Monday detailed, minute-by-minute, his department’s response to both incidents.

According to Snelling, at 10:32 a.m. Saturday, the CPD received a call of a person shot at 39th and Kedzie and four minutes later, Chicago officers responded to the scene and located a woman on the scene — later identified as Marimar Martinez — who reported she had been shot by federal agents.

Martinez survived and was taken to a hospital for treatment. She now faces federal charges.

At 11:06, CPD officers arrived at the hospital with Martinez, and at 11:25 a.m., CPD units were “holding down the scene” where her vehicle was located, Snelling said. At 11:36 a.m., the CPD turned that scene over to federal authorities who began their own investigation into the incident.

The second incident occurred later at 12:12 p.m., Snelling said, when a different vehicle allegedly rammed federal agents off the road in the 3200 block of West 35th Street, causing a crash before they fled the scene.

CPD officers arrived on that scene to take reports and document “everything that happened,” Snelling said, adding that there were no reported injuries.

At 12:28 p.m., federal agents then called on the CPD to assist because a large crowd had gathered back at 39th and Kedzie, and Snelling said that at 1:09 p.m. additional Chicago police units were en route to that area.

At 1:15 p.m., federal agents deployed tear gas after protesters there allegedly began moving barricades, according to Snelling, and at 2:56 p.m., agents again deployed tear gas after people began throwing items at CPD officers.

Snelling, who has not spoken about federal deployments in the city or across Illinois, said he has sought to “stay out of the politics of this,” but after hearing claims his officers did not respond to the calls for service, he felt it was necessary to “put all of that to rest.”

“My leadership team are not political pawns. Their lives are too important to play politics with these men and women who face danger every single day,” he said. “This is not a game, this is not a joke. This is still our city and we still have a responsibility to maintain safety and calm in our city.”

Snelling said none of his officers were seriously injured by the tear gas. He added that he’s spoken with federal leadership about the incidents, and that the feds were “extremely concerned” about the officers.

Despite those discussions, the superintendent maintained that his department abides by the Illinois TRUST Act — which restricts local law enforcement, including sheriffs, from cooperating with federal immigration agents — and does not collect or share residents’ immigration status.

But he also said his officers “cannot and will not” arrest federal agents conducting immigration enforcement operations in Chicago and implored residents not to interfere with those efforts.

“If you box them in with vehicles, it is reasonable for them to believe that they are being ambushed and that this could end in a deadly situation and it’s reasonable for them to use force based on those conditions,” he said. “Do not box in any law enforcement officer. You are breaking the law when you’re doing that and you’re putting yourself in danger.”

Hundreds of National Guard troops from both Texas and Illinois could be deployed in the area as soon as Tuesday. Illinois and Chicago leaders are seeking a restraining order blocking that deployment, but the next hearing in that suit is scheduled for Thursday.  

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