[chris]

On Oct. 13, 2020, near 5200 S. Monitor Avenue, a man was dropping off his girlfriend near her residence after a date night. He rolled through a stop sign and parked his grey Nissan Sentra on 52nd Street near Monitor Avenue, with the passenger door partly open.

Off-duty Chicago police Officer Joseph Cabrera, who lived at 5201 S. Monitor Avenue, pulled up behind them in a black Jeep Cherokee. Cabrera approached the passenger side and asked if they were okay and/or needed an ambulance. Both said they were fine. Cabrera returned to his vehicle and remained there for several minutes, and the couple drove around the block.

They returned to the intersection and parked again. Cabrera again parked behind them, got out, approached the driver's side window, yelled at them, and told them to leave. The driver got out while his girlfriend stayed in the car. Cabrera pushed him and grabbed him by the neck. The driver punched Cabrera in the head. Cabrera took a firearm from his front pants area, pointed it in the man's direction, fired one time, and missed. The man and his girlfriend ran southbound on Monitor Avenue toward her residence.

Cabrera called 911 and reported that he was attacked, knocked to the ground, and fired his weapon. Dispatch announced an officer in need of assistance over the radio.

When police units arrived at 52nd Street and Monitor Avenue, the man quickly returned to the scene. Officer Bradley Grosskopf told him to put his hands up and slow down. The man continued telling officers what took place, including that he had been shot at, while moving his hands. Grosskopf, with help from Officer Nicholas Piraino, handcuffed him and said it was for officer safety. He was put in the rear of a police vehicle and described the incident to Officer Christian Nunez.

The man remained in the police car for about 40 minutes before he was driven to District 002 lockup, placed under arrest, and interviewed by detectives. He was later released without charges. Officer Englert spoke with Cabrera, who said he shot because the man "attacked" him. Cabrera was taken by ambulance to MacNeal Hospital because he had anxiety.