An autopsy by the Cook County Medical Examiner found a man who died in a confrontation with Chicago police after a traffic stop in the Belmont Central neighborhood Thursday suffered both self-inflicted and police-inflicted gunshot wounds.
The medical examiner said he found 31-year-old Mariano Ocon, Jr. died "as a result of multiple gunshot wounds including a self-inflicted intraoral gunshot wound to the head."
The autopsy found that gunshot wounds to the chest and arm were inflicted by "other individual(s)," in this case police.
The autopsy found both the self-inflicted gunshot wound and other gunshot wounds "independently caused injuries severe enough to result in death."
"According to National Association of Medical Examiners manner of death guidelines, when both external and internal factors may result in death, preference is given to external factors," the ME's office said. As such, they ruled the manner of death to be homicide.
According to Chicago police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi, 25th District officers performed a traffic stop in the 6000-block of West Wellington Thursday just before 12:30 p.m. Police said the driver of the Mercury apparently swerved onto grass, striking a stop sign and minivan.
The suspect hopped out of the car leaving a woman and children inside, police said. Officers chased him and then fired shots when they say they saw a gun.
The man's brother questioned the police chase.
"I don't know the situation, but since they were pursuing him with his kids in the car, what kind of police is this?" Juan Ocon said. "Endangering the kids, even if he was armed or not."
Police do acknowledge Ocon was struck by their gunfire.
Juan Ocon came to the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office Friday morning demanding answers.
"My brother he wasn't no angel but he didn't deserve to die like this," Juan Ocon said. "I miss him. He's my blood. They killed my blood."
The family says they don't believe that Ocon shot himself.
"Chicago police got to take accountability for it," Juan Ocon said. "They killed him. They are just making it look like he killed himself."
An officer was taken to the hospital for observation and police said they recovered a gun from the scene. Police have not said what led to the initial traffic stop.
"I don't know the situation, but since they were pursuing him with his kids in the car, what kind of police is this?" Juan Ocon said. "Endangering the kids, even if he was armed or not."
The only one that was endangering the kids was himself by fleeing and holding a gun.imo