Off-duty Correctional officer dies

citizen |

by Thelma Sardin

On Monday evening, an off-duty Cook County correctional officer died from a gunshot wound to the chest.

William Washington, 40 of the 20100 block of Sequoia Avenue in Chicago Heights was pronounced dead at 7:06 p.m. at St. James Hospital in Chicago Heights, according to the Cook County medical examiners office.

Washington sustained the fatal gunshot wound at 6:15 p.m. on the 400 block of West 34th Street in Steger, the medical examiners office confirmed. Steger police reported on Tuesday that Washington used his service weapon to kill himself.

Police were called to the apartment at about 6:15 p.m., Steger Police Chief Richard Stultz told the Citizen.

The apartment belongs to Washington's girlfriend, who is also a Cook County correctional officer, Stultz said. Washington and his girlfriend were arguing in the apartment, Stultz added.

According to a Tribune report, the woman had just been dropped off by a male friend, who left and walked down the stairs when the argument began, Stultz confirmed.

Stultz told the Citizen that the male was a longtime friend of the family.

Once the argument ended, Washington went to a back bedroom. The girlfriend heard a gunshot and then found him, Stultz confirmed.

The Cook County Sheriffs office confirmed that Washington had been an employee since March 1999. He was assigned to work at Division 1, a maximum security section of Cook County Jail. Washington worked the 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift.

The Citizen asked the Cook County Sheriffs office if there were any suspicion around the victims girlfriend possibly having a weapon at the time of the incident. A sheriffs spokesperson said that they could not confirm any details because the department is not handling the case, all questions should be directed to the Steger Police Department. However, when Stultz was asked the same question, he added the victim was wearing his gun and badge at the time of the incident and used his own gun.

Authorities are awaiting the medical examiners report.

The deceased is a relative Chicago Citizen Newspaper Groups publisher, William Garth.

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