On September 21, 2019, a U.S. Marshal Fugitive Task Force, which included Chicago Police Officers Adam Wazny and Michaela Tuohy, arrived at a residence on West 65th St. to arrest a suspect wanted for aggravated battery with a handgun. Officers from the team assembled at the location and formulated a plan where each member would cover an exit. Officers Wazny and Tuohy were assigned to the rear door of the location.
As officers attempted to contact the suspect in the front of the location, Officers Wazny and Tuohy encountered him as he attempted to leave through the rear of the residence. They attempted to detain and handcuff him, at which point he produced a handgun from his waistband area and began shooting at the two officers. Officer Wazny was shot multiple times and critically injured. Both officers returned fire and continued in a gun battle with the assailant.
The assailant initially fled the location on foot when the officers first returned fire, but then he returned and re-engaged the officers with gunfire. Despite having already been shot in the initial encounter, Officer Wazny reengaged in a second gun battle with the assailant, forcing him to retreat again. Officer Wazny was then triaged by members of his team who applied a tourniquet, and he was then transported to the nearest trauma center in the adjacent suburb of Oak Lawn.
Later that afternoon, after subsequent shootouts, the suspect was wounded and taken into custody. All the involved officers acted courageously when attempting to apprehend this suspect. But Officer Wazny’s actions are particularly noteworthy in that although seriously wounded, he remained in the fight during two separate engagements with the suspect as he defended his partner and himself.
Learn about all of the Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery recipients