Trio plead not guilty in shooting that paralyzed off-duty Chicago Police Officer Danny Golden

CHICAGO - The three men charged in a shooting that left off-duty Chicago Police Officer Danny Golden paralyzed in Beverly last month entered a plea of not guilty Thursday.

Attempted murder charges were filed against 22-year-old Bryant Hayes and Justen Krismantis, and 28-year-old Demetrius Harrell in July, and a Cook County judge ordered the three held without bond. 

Prosecutors said the three suspects got into a fight with customers at a Beverly bar on July 9, and the fight spilled outside.

Prosecutors said that off-duty Officer Golden was acting as a peacekeeper and was walking away from the suspects when one pulled out a gun and began firing.

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Golden was hit in the back, severing his spine and paralyzing him below the waist.

It’s tragic what happened," said Liam Hopkins, a friend of Golden’s family. "There’s no answer for any of that. Danny Golden serves our community, and he served our country selflessly over the last eight years."

Golden is a US Army veteran and a third generation Chicago police officer.

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Prosecutors said they recovered text messages showing the three suspects laughing about what happened.

MORE: Ring video captures moment off-duty Chicago cop was shot in Beverly

"The defendants also joked about the incident afterwards stating, "let’s get drunk this weekend and start a bar fight." And, "that (expletive) was fun they beat my ass too."

The next court date for the suspects is Oct. 13.