Chicago police officers followed path of bullet to save victim's life

CHICAGO - Three Chicago police officers may have saved a woman's life this week thanks to their quick response to the discovery of a single bullet hole.

They were conducting a routine search for evidence after a shooting when that bullet hole led them to another victim.

A doorbell camera captured the shooting of a 21-year-old man early Tuesday afternoon in the 7300 block of South Wolcott. Officer Rodolfo Farius was one of the officers who responded.

“So when I was canvassing each house and looking for cameras, and I came to that spot, and I’m like, whoa, that looks like a fresh bullet hole,” he said.

Farius, along with his supervisor and another officer, knocked and rang the doorbell and heard a thumping sound and groans. Inside, they found a woman who the bullet had hit in the face.

“We found her in a condition, unresponsive, arms not moving, so she couldn't even call for help with her own cellphone,” said Sergeant Rodolfo Vargas.

“We were consoling her, making sure that help was on the way, you’re going to be fine, stay with us, but she was not speaking,” Farius said.

The officers say if they had not followed the path of that bullet, and found that woman inside that home, it is likely she would have died.

“I mean, I think about that all the time. It's like, could she have been there a day, could she have been there two days?” said Officer Michael Kocanda.

The victim was taken a hospital in critical condition and the officers have heard she is now stable.

Officer Farius says he will not soon forget where that stray bullet led him.

“It's a traumatic scene right there. You think about your loved ones, could have been my wife, my kids,” Farius said.