A man who allegedly shot a Chicago police officer lashed out in profanity at a judge during his bail hearing. In response to the judge’s decision to hold him without bond, he told him he should have “smoked” the officer.
Authorities charged Kentrell Pledger, 29, with attempted murder, but Pledger claims that the police officer “shot at him first.”
Pledger’s protests grew louder as he was led away by sheriffs, saying, “He shot at me first. So get your story straight, dog. And for that, I should have smoked his ass.”
The judge, in response to Pledger’s comment, told the court reporter to “write it down.”
Police found Pledger fidgeting with his belt and started to ask him questions, when he ran off and pulled a handgun from his pants, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Pledger ran up a driveway and down an alleyway. He allegedly fired at the officer, who asked him questions twice.
The police officer returned fire, but did not hit Pledger, prosecutors say.
Police found Pledger hiding under some porch stairs. He came out with his hands up and told officers the gun was wrapped in a T-shirt under the porch, CBS Chicago reported.
As police arrested him, they found the gun and several small bags of heroin, police state.
In a videotaped interview with detectives, Pledger later confessed to shooting at the officer because he was a Chicago cop, The Chicago Tribune reports.
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