Gun owner who helped cops in shootout praised (VIDEOS)

A gunfight between police an armed felon near Chicago saw a local concealed carry permit holder lend a hand.

The incident occurred last Thursday at about 5:17 p.m. when Cicero Police Officer Luis Duarte and his partner attempted to pull over a black Mercedes driving erratically near I-55.

The occupant of the Mercedes, Daniel Mageo, 27, exited the car and opened fire on the officers, hitting Duarte three times. That’s when an area man who had his gun with him stepped in, firing three shots of his own.

“My instincts, you know, told me to do what I did,” the unidentified 42-year-old union worker told CBS Chicago. “I didn’t think twice to do what I did.”

Mageo, wounded and out of ammo, was taken into custody, hospitalized and charged with attempted murder of a police officer and aggravated battery. According to WGN, he was denied bail with Cook County Judge John Fitzgerald Lyke Jr, saying he was “the poster child for no bail and that’s exactly what he’s going to get.” Mageo has an extensive criminal background and had outstanding warrants for a parole violation when he was arrested.

As for the good Samaritan, Cicero Town President Larry Dominick praised him, saying, “He got out and started helping the police, which is something I’ve got to be proud of.” Meanwhile, Cicero Police Supt. Jerry Chlada said the agency was “lucky enough to have a citizen on the street there who’s a concealed-carry holder.”

CBS Chicago followed up on the story by consulting with a law enforcement expert to see if the use of force in the case was justified. To that, Richard Schak, a retired Chicago Police Sergent who heads the criminal justice at National Louis University, said, “In this case, I think that citizen is totally justified and I think further, should be commended.”

Duarte, a four-year veteran of the force, is reportedly on the road to recovery and feeling much better.