Oak Lawn shooting: Alleged gunman claims 'God' and 'gun jamming' prevented sergeant from being shot in head

OAK LAWN, Ill. - A Florida man is accused of shooting an Oak Lawn police sergeant multiple times outside a trucking business Monday afternoon. 

Khambrel Lee, 35, of Lauderhill, Florida, has been charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder.

Shortly after noon Monday, the Oak Lawn Police Department responded to calls of a person shot at a business located in the 10800 block of South Central Avenue.

When officers arrived at the scene, they learned that the gunshot victim was an Oak Lawn police sergeant, who was working for a private security firm at the time of the incident.

It was determined that the offender was an employee of the business and became involved in a verbal dispute with other employees, police said.

The off-duty sergeant and a second armed security officer were close to the dispute. At one point during the argument, the offender, identified as Lee, turned and allegedly walked in the opposite direction, removed a semi-automatic handgun from inside his coat pocket, chambered a round and turned to engage with the sergeant.

The second security guard fired at least one round at Lee, who was now allegedly attacking the sergeant, police said.

Khambrel Lee

Lee allegedly fired five rounds, striking the sergeant multiple times in his Kevlar vest and once in the leg.

During the attack, Lee's gun allegedly jammed, which allowed the sergeant and the second security officer to subdue Lee. He was then placed in custody with the help of other people at the scene. 

After the attack, the sergeant was able to apply a tourniquet to his injured leg and was transported to an area hospital to be treated for his injuries.

The second security officer sustained minor injuries and refused medical treatment.

Police say they recovered Lee's gun at the scene, which was a .45 caliber Springfield Armory XD45. The gun was legally purchased by Lee in Florida.

Additionally, Lee allegedly had two additional magazines, which were loaded with 13 rounds each at the time of his arrest.

When interviewing Lee, police said he "alluded to the fact that God and his gun jamming are the only reasons" the Oak Lawn sergeant wasn't shot in the head.

Oak Lawn police say Lee has a prior history of arrests in the state of Florida, which include arrests for domestic violence, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and a host of drug-related charges.

"Our sergeant is indeed still here with us today by the grace of God, a Kevlar vest and the bravery of his actions, never backing down even after being shot and the bravery of the other security guard," the Oak Lawn Police Department said. "Together they confronted an armed, violent individual and ultimately prevented further violence to innocent people."

Lee will be transported to the Bridgeview Courthouse on Wednesday for a detention hearing.