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Details of Shooting of Chicago Officers Revealed at Bond Hearings for Suspects

While both Officer Ella French and her partner still had their service weapons holstered, Emonte Morgan fired several shots, hitting French and her partner, who both fell to the ground.

August 10, 2021
2 min to read


At bond hearings for brothers Emonte Morgan, 21, and Eric Morgan, 22, Chicago prosecutors revealed details of the shooting that killed Officer Ella French and critically wounded another officer.

Emonte Morgan is charged with murdering Officer French, and Eric Morgan is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and other charges. Both are being held without bail.

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Cook County Assistant State's Attorney James Murphy said Monty Morgan gave a statement on video in which he admitted to drinking, having a gun and opening fire on two officers, the Associated Press reports. 

Police say the officers stopped a gray SUV driven by Eric Morgan and occupied by Emonte Morgan and a woman because of an expired license plate, WGN reports.

After pulling over the SUV, all three officers walked up to the vehicle, and Officer French approached the driver, taking away his car keys. Prosecutors said Eric Morgan admitted to having marijuana in his possession, and French had him get out of the car. The other two officers approached Eric and the female passenger.

Eric Morgan fled the scene and one of the officers followed, prosecutors say. When that happened, Emonte Morgan reportedly started to struggle with Officer French.

While both French and her partner still had their service weapons holstered, Emonte Morgan fired several shots, hitting French and her partner, who both fell to the ground, CBS Chicago reports.

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The shots brought the third officer back to the scene, and he reportedly exchanged fire with Emonte Morgan, striking Morgan in the abdomen as he fled the scene with Eric.

Prosecutors said Emonte Morgan handed the gun to his brother, who ran off, before he was detained by witnesses who caught him in a nearby yard, where he had dumped the gun.

Officer French died of a gunshot wound to the back of the head. Her wounded partner, a 39-year-old male officer, remains in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the eye, and a bullet still lodged in his brain, according to prosecutors.

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