Chicago man charged in shooting death of suburban detective

OAK PARK, Ill. — Authorities have charged a 37-year-old Chicago man with first-degree murder shoot dead from a suburban police detective.

Oak Park Police Department Detective Allan Reddins was killed Friday morning after responding to a report of a man leaving a bank with a gun in a suburb just west of Chicago, police said. He later died at a local hospital.

On Saturday, the Cook County District Attorney’s Office charged Jerell Thomas of Chicago with the murder. Thomas was also charged with attempted murder of a peace officer, possession of a stolen firearm and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Oak Park authorities alleged Thomas began shooting when approached by Reddins and other officers.

Thomas suffered a leg injury and remained hospitalized Sunday with non-life-threatening injuries.

No bond hearing has been set. A listed phone number for Thomas has been disconnected. An email message seeking comment was left for him on Sunday.

Investigators called Thomas a “habitual criminal” with prior arrests for aggravated assault on a police officer, domestic violence, assault and resisting a police officer.

Reddins, 40, was the first Oak Park police officer shot in the line of duty since 1938, according to Oak Park officials. He had worked for the department since 2019.