CHICAGO — Authorities have identified the man shot and killed by Chicago police during a domestic incident in the Pullman neighborhood on the city’s South Side as 43-year-old Devon Smith of Chicago. The fatal encounter occurred around 7:04 a.m. Thursday in a townhome located in the 900 block of East 100th Street, leaving the community shaken and prompting an investigation by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA).
Officers responded to a report of a man armed with a gun during a domestic dispute. Upon arrival, they found Smith in a bedroom with a woman. As officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, the woman managed to leave the room. According to police, Smith then pointed his firearm at officers, prompting an officer to shoot him. Smith was transported to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
The incident drew a heavy police presence, alarming nearby residents. Sandra Brown, who lives in the neighborhood, recalled the moment she realized something serious was happening. “I heard a lot of commotion, police everywhere,” she said. Authorities reported that both the woman involved in the incident and an officer were taken to the hospital for evaluation. A firearm was recovered at the scene.
COPA is now investigating the shooting, as is standard protocol for police-involved shootings. The officers involved have been placed on administrative duties for at least 30 days while the investigation proceeds. The shooting has left residents of the London Towne Houses Co-Op, where the incident took place, feeling unsettled. Shatiquia Harrington, a neighbor, expressed her fear. “I was scared. I didn’t know what was going on. It was traumatizing. My daughter was even afraid to go to school this morning.”
Others noted that the occupants of the townhome had recently moved into the community. Edwin Adams, another resident, said the shooting came as a shock. “I’ve been here long enough to see the neighborhood change, and it’s not a pretty sight.”
The incident has reignited conversations about police use of force and community safety, particularly in neighborhoods already grappling with violence. As the investigation continues, the community is left to grapple with the aftermath of the tragic event, while authorities work to determine the full circumstances surrounding the shooting.
