Sadly, Chicago’s soft-on-crime policies led to the death of Police District Commander Paul Bauer (pictured above) in downtown Chicago Tuesday afternoon. A felon wearing body armor pulled a gun and shot the off-duty officer at the Thompson Center. Commander Bauer died while going above and beyond the call of duty to protect and serve Windy City’s residents and visitors . . .
Moments earlier, Bauer heard the description of suspicious person who ran from police. He saw that person and without hesitation, made contact. After some shouting, witnesses say the offender produced a gun and fired as many as five times. Not long after, the officer was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Police report that the suspect had a long felony record which included gun charges, armed robbery and unlawful use of body armor. Despite those convictions and Illinois’ strict gun control laws, this predator still prowled the heart of Rahm’s paradise with a pistol while wearing body armor.
The Chicago Sun-Times outlined the career criminal’s history:
The 44-year-old suspect’s felony record goes back to 1998, when he was charged with armed robbery. He was convicted and sentenced to 16 years in prison.
In 2007, the man was charged with being a felon in possession of body armor, possession of a defaced firearm and possession of heroin. He got three years in prison on the gun charge, records show.
In 2011, he was charged with resisting an officer and battery. He was convicted of battery and given 30 days of community service, records show.
Finally, the suspect was convicted of drug possession in 2014 and received a two-year prison term.
Meanwhile, Commander Bauer stood out as bold cop and beloved leader among his officers. He also spoke the truth to residents of his Near North district. “Even when we catch somebody,” he admitted at one meeting, “there’s still a long way to go to get them off the street.”
He publicly criticized Cook County prosecutors and judges for the revolving door justice system. Career criminals, caught at long last, would soon return to the streets only to victimize still more innocent people. From one such meeting reported by the Crime in Wrigleyville and Boystown blog:
Another man, named Willie, previously convicted for numerous burglaries, was caught but allowed back on the street three days later, electronically monitored, such as an ankle monitor, while waiting for court dates.
…In August, Chief Judge Timothy Evans replaced all the judges who presided over bond hearings in Cook County and directed new judges to set bail in amounts more affordable to defendants. This is at odds with Chicago police, who would prefer to see higher bail amounts for career criminals.
“That guy, Willie, he’s a case in point. He needs a high bond. We got him for a number of burglaries. He’s on parole for burglary. He needs to sit. We got to get him off the street. It’s just like if you have kids, if there’s no consequences to your action, those actions are going to repeat.”
Bauer also publicly criticized the Cook County Sheriff for emptying the jail of bad folks.
“The Sheriff of Cook County, for whatever reason, is very proud of the fact he has reduced the population of the county jail. Maybe I’m jaded, I don’t think that’s anything to be proud of.”
Bauer would like to see more career criminals in jail. “You can say, we don’t know if that’s going to reduce recidivism. This is how I look at it, I want them off the street. We’re not talking about the guy that stole a loaf of bread from the store to feed his family. We’re talking about career robbers, burglars, drug dealers. These are all crimes against the community. They need to be off the street.”
It is frustration police deal with every day as they try to make communities safe, says Bauer.
“This has been going on for quite some time but it’s getting worse.”
Indeed. Most of Chicago PD’s brass love to blame the ever-popular “guns” for the violence and crime in their city. Then again, most of the brass owe their positions and future promotions to politically connected people. Obviously Bauer was not one of those.
Instead, Bauer served tirelessly and worked diligently to protect his fellow residents and the city’s guests. Yet the political leaders of the State of Illinois, Cook County and the City of Chicago all failed to protect him from repeat violent offenders. And for that, Commander Bauer had his life stolen from him.
And on the eve of Valentine’s Day, his little girl lost her dad and his wife lost her husband. And for what?
Tragic story. It should illustrate the futility of gun control laws however. How could an innocent person be fired upon by an armed assailant with the strict gun laws that have been put in place? Laws only work if law abiding people adhere to them, and criminals, by definition, are not law abiding folks. I was also unaware you could unlawfully use body armor… missle
Chicago has no strict gun laws other than on long guns (that don’t apply to the rest of the state, so even city residents can still buy anything) The FOID is no more than a pre-background check. You go online and send the state $10. It’s nice for gangbangers without a criminal record to pre screen themselves.
True, but downtown is littered with No Guns Allowed signs, plus public transportation is also forbidden. So carrying is…”logistically difficult”… compared to anywhere else in the state.
I go downtown a lot for clients . Most “gun free” signs have been taken down. For my 5 more regular clients I don’t have to disarm. I honestly don’t rember the last time I saw one other than city hall, IKEA or AMC. And keep in mind that first offense (if you are actually caught) is a $150 fine.
Home grown / groomed / fed / watered / fertilized / cross-pollinated / bred problem.
Until those assholes start keeping scum in jail they are going to continue to have problems. Meanwhile they make it tough on law abiding people to protect themselves. Even cops.
The BLM crew will take delight in a cop like him getting killed.
Just gas all the violent felons and be done with it. Everytime the system gets over loaded with these types, just put the prison on lock down and have all the CO’s chill outside, while the military tests the latest itteration of VX.
Aye!
He sounds like a good cop.
The city of Chicago could probably use a thousand more just like him.
It’s a damn shame that the very system he worked for (the criminal justice system) fail to protect him.
+ terrible, terrible, terrible, loss of life, and the ‘good guys’ can’t afford the ‘hit’. GOD bless and keep him, and give his family some peace.
Sympathy for SChitcago is nearly tapped out though. They are the aholes blaming the rest of us for their PRO-COMMUNIST NARRATIVE “gun-violence” problems. F the rest of them.
I have long noticed guns tend to prey on repeat felons. Hopefully they’ll find the gun soon and remove it off the streets.
Nothing but praise for him apparent among Chicago cops, which is pretty rare when talking about someone who has risen to that rank. Then again, there aren’t many commanders that will start chasing bad guys and helping out off-duty.
Repeat offender isn’t the narrative the leadership in Chicago wants, because repeat offenders are how they stay elected. Instead they will focus on the body armor and how it should be illegal for anyone but cops and politicians to possess.
TwoJohnsonsAreBetterThanOne is right, but I think we should acknowledge that Capitalism is ultimately to blame. Specifically, anyone who has ever engaged in it. Oh wait . . .
Why is the Chicago press suppressing the name and photo of the offender in this shooting?
Narrative disconnect
Can I profile for $5000. The man ran when the officers tried to do a “street stop” to interview him. He was wearing a long black coat with a fur collar.
With “body armor” under his pimp coat? New SOP?
Man with previous record.
[GOES WITHOUT SAYING] TOTAL freekin waste of life of a good officer.
BUT
THE NARRATIVE IS:
KNOWN PERP WITH FELONY RECORD HAD NO Fv<KS TO GIVE THAT HE WAS PROHIBITED FROM POSSESSING BOTH A FIREARM, AND BODY ARMOR, AND DIDN'T HAVE ANY TROUBLE EMPLOYING THEM AGAINST A (ONE WOULD ASSUME) "ANNOUNCED" PEACE-OFFICER (ALBEIT OFF-DUTY ONE). AND THE COP WASN'T ABLE TO SAVE HIMSELF.
The rest of should not be prevented from arming ourselves, nor protecting ourselves with body armor, against bad-guys like that.
So he spoke out against the current justice system’s treatment of career criminals, and now he’s dead. Would say it’s just a coincidence, but we are talking about Chicago.
It’s a coincidence. He was off duty and happened to find out there was an incident going on that officers were pursuing. No way that anyone could have known he would happen to be there and get involved.
Apparently the suspect must be the typical Morman Thai of Jewish heritage or the MSM would certainly have a description of the POS. They evidently know all about him.
Sources said the man was carrying a semi-automatic handgun with a 30-round magazine, and was wearing body armor. He shot Bauer at least four times in the head. Sources said he also was carrying multiple bags of heroin, crack cocaine, and marijuana at the time he was arrested.
Just as I suspected. the suspect, Shomari Legghette of Chicago, will be charged with first-degree murder, possession of narcotics and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
http://www.policemag.com/channel/patrol/news/2018/02/14/chicago-cop-killing-suspect-wore-armor-shot-police-commander-multiple-times.aspx
And a photo of the yoot. (Until they are forced to take it down.)
http://www.dailyherald.com/news/20180214/charges-filed-in-death-of-chicago-police-commander
The Chicago city flag makes me think of Israel and the 6th ID. Maybe they are all connected in someway that I can’t figure.
Do they normally not post the perp’s picture? Also, why exactly do y’all care?
Not trolling, but it sounds kinda like Jennifer Lawrence-esque to want to out people’s photos. I don’t know. I just have trouble caring. Could someone explain?
The suspicion is that the media prints photos or declines to print photos based on how well the photo serves their narrative.
In this case I suspect it’s just coincidence.
Oh geez the perps pic is all over the local news. No conspiracy. Why a 53 year old commander charges a criminal is beyond me. I knew an old po-leece captain(an antique dealer) and he sure as he!! wouldn’t do that. Overshadowed by the Florida massacre😩😖😧😡
“And for what?”
For Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s policies and his BLM constituents…
Off duty is off duty, no city is worth chasing bad guys off duty,
Sorry for the families loss, f-shitcago
Reap what you sow Chicago. Keep going easy on these gangs and soon Chicago will be nothing more than a giant gang banger haven, then maybe we can build a wall around it and just let them kill each other off!
Yet another habitual felon turns murderer. There used to be a 3 time loser rule that got you the death penalty or a life sentence depending on the state. We need to reinstate this and vote for politicians who will only appoint judges who will enforce it, not listen to any whiny crap about cruel and unusual punishment. At the time the Constitution was written, a “person” like this would have long ago been dispatched for his previous crimes by the police or the armed citizens acting in self defense.
Illinois doesn’t even have the DEATH penalty thanks to convicted felon governor George Ryan. Kill a cop? A (black)dude just got 40years for murdering a cop to steal his car-shot in the head 6 times😩😖😡
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