RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, On the evening of February 14, 2015, Chicago Police Officer Mark Czapla and his partner Officer Joseph Groh stopped at a Walgreens Store in the 5400 block of North Clark Street so that Officer Czapla could buy his wife a Valentine's Day card; and
WHEREAS, Upon pulling in to the Walgreens parking lot, Officers Groh and Czapla encountered Thomas Thompson, a 6-foot-3, 270 pound man, who was fleeing the Walgreens after allegedly shoplifting $150 worth of vitamins; and
WHEREAS, While attempting to subdue and arrest Thompson, the hulking offender somehow managed to break free from Officers Czapla and Groh and started beating both officers; and
WHEREAS, During the desperate and bloody struggle, the offender took hold of one of the officer's weapons from its holster, turned it .on both officers, and fired a shot that fortunately missed everyone; and
WHEREAS, With one bullet still in the chamber and having not noticed that the loaded magazine had fallen out of the gun during the struggle, Thompson continued to pull the trigger three or four more times, but fortunately the trigger block within the weapon prevented it from firing; and
WHEREAS, Two witnesses to the altercation, a Walgreens' employee named Raymond Robinson, and a customer named Zet Smith, upon hearing the gunfire, rushed into action to help the bleeding officers who were now in grave danger; and
WHEREAS, Raymond Robinson grabbed Thompson's arm and managed to pull the offender's finger from the trigger, while Zet Smith yanked the offender's feet out from underneath him; and
WHEREAS, Were it not for the heroic and selfless efforts of Raymond Robinson and Zet Smith the outcome of the event would have been much different; and
WHEREAS, Without regard for their own safety, Raymond Robinson and Zet Smith acted decisively and courageously to rescue two Chicago Police officers from a violent offender; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and Members of the City Council of the C...
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