Two Dead, Three Injured in ‘Ambush' on Police After 911 Call

Police officers responded to a call about a medical situation when they were "ambushed by an armed assailant with a shotgun"

Three people were injured, including two police officers, and two men are dead following a shootout in suburban River Forest, Illinois, early Sunday morning.

River Forest police officers and fire officials responded to a call around 7:20 a.m. about a woman suffering from shortness of breath at a home on Lathrop Avenue, according to Deputy Chief Jim O'Shea. When the officers arrived at the scene, they were "ambushed by an armed assailant with a shotgun," O'Shea said.

Gunfire was exchanged between the police officers and the alleged offender, who has been identified as a 24-year-old man.

The offender was killed in the shootout, and two police officers received non-life-threatening injuries, according to O'Shea. One was a 15-year veteran with the department, who was shot while wearing a bullet-proof vest. The other was a 5-year veteran. The nature of his injuries is unclear.

Two other victims were inside the house. One of them identified as a 60-year-old man was killed in the incident. The other — a 59-year-old woman who was identified as the mother of the offender — was injured, O'Shea said. She underwent surgery for her injuries Sunday.

The Cook County medical examiner identified the 24-year-old victim as Matthew Watson, who died at Loyola Hospital. The 60-year-old man, who died on the scene, was identified as William Carlson.

Dan Flannery, a witness who lives on the same block as the incident, told NBC Chicago he heard more than 20 or 30 shots fired.

Flannery said he saw an officer on the ground outside a house holding his side. The officer fired shots into the house, and shots were returned to the officer. A body was then wheeled out of the home, Flannery said.

This is a developing story. Check back for more details.

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