Good afternoon. Here’s the latest news you need to know in Chicago. It’s about a 5-minute read that will brief you on today’s biggest stories.

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Top story

Chicago police officer charged with battery, official misconduct in on-duty Red Line shooting

A Chicago police officer was released on her own recognizance today after being charged for shooting and wounding a man while on duty at the CTA Red Line’s Grand station last year.

Officer Melvina Bogard, 32, is facing aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct for the Feb. 28, 2020 shooting.

In her order, Cook County Judge Susana Ortiz said she found Bogard to be neither a danger to the community, nor at risk of not showing up for her court hearings.

The state’s attorneys office, which announced the charges against Bogard today, has not filed charges against Officer Bernard Butler, who was with Bogard at the time of the shooting and was recorded by a bystander yelling “shoot him” before Bogard opened fire.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability submitted findings from its investigation to Supt. David Brown in October. The Chicago Police Department later moved to fire both officers.

Federal authorities also have opened a criminal investigation into the high-profile police shooting.

Matthew Hendrickson has more on the charges here.

More news you need

1. Powered by the highly infectious Delta variant, COVID-19 is now spreading across Illinois at the fastest rate seen in over six months. This means deja vu for health care workers as the state’s fourth coronavirus surge shows no signs of letting up soon.
2. College students and people experiencing homelessness will have better access to free menstrual products under new legislation signed into law today. Another new law will make it possible to use SNAP or WIC benefits for diapers and menstrual hygiene products.
3. CDOT is still forfeiting millions of dollars a year by failing to adequately bill and collect permit fees from commercial property owners whose driveways use the public way. This comes two years after an audit by Inspector General Joe Ferguson.
4. Rita Crundwell, who was convicted of embezzling nearly $54 million from the city of Dixon when she worked as the comptroller there, has been released from prison. Officials in Dixon are not happy about her release.
5. Ruby Ferguson takes over as Chicago’s first food equity policy lead today as officials try to tackle food insecurity. Ferguson will work with the newly established Food Equity Council, whose members range from city workers to community groups.
6. Richard Trumka, who went from working in the coal mines of Pennsylvania to becoming president of AFL-CIO — one of the largest labor organizations in the world — died today at 72. He was remembered by AFL-CIO’s Chicago-based leader as “a blue collar guy” with a gift for energizing union members.

A bright one

First-generation college triplets, other students surprised with laptops from CHA

Eighteen-year-old triplets Javier, Gerald Jr. and Miles Lumpkins are days away from heading to college — the first generation in their families to do so.

Yesterday, their journey was made a little easier when, along with more than 170 other students at the Charles Hayes Center at 4859 S. Wabash, they took part in the Chicago Housing Authority’s annual Take Flight College Send Off.

CHA’s annual event partners with Springboard to Success to provide incoming college freshmen from public housing with dorm room essentials like toothbrushes, laundry detergent and towels.

And this year, families were surprised with new Chromebook laptops for each student.

Pat Nabong/Sun-Times

The Lumpkins graduated from Steinmetz College Prep High School and are scheduled to move into their dorms in mid-August.

Miles will move first to the University of Illinois at Springfield, where he plans to major in business and minor in marketing. Gerald will attend the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to major in biochemistry and Javier will attend Southern Illinois University on a pre-law track.

Their mom, Silk Lumpkins, is having the same mixed emotions, alternating between happy and sad tears. But she knew this day would eventually come. From the time the triplets were born, she said, “college was never not an option.”

She added that the supplies from the CHA and Springboard to Success program, particularly the new Chromebooks, will help the triplets succeed.

Cheyanne M. Daniels has more on the Lumpkins here.

From the press box

Your daily question ?

What’s your favorite “L” line? Tell us why.

Yesterday we asked you: What’s the best summer job you’ve ever had? Here’s some of what you said…

“Umpire for little kids softball/baseball — because it’s adorable and outdoors and cancels if the weather is bad. You have to stop when they get about 10-11 because the parents forget it’s supposed to be fun and think they are all future major leaguers.” — Dylan Yellowlees

“Showing our beef cattle at County and State Fairs.” — Darrell Ippensen

“Camp counselor/coach for the Chicago Park District. I worked with the Special Olympics, etc. at parks throughout the city. I really had a good time that summer.” — John C. Bonk

“Almost 25 years ago, I was a seasonal employee for the Catholic Cemeteries. I worked for Resurrection. I did it for 3 seasons during my college years and immediately afterward. It was nice to be able to work outside in nature and get paid for it.” – Bradley Nawara

“Brookfield Zoo, working till past midnight for parties, weddings and special events.” — Javier Santos

“Worked for SportService at Comiskey Park in 1984-85. It was a great place for someone who is a huge baseball fan and loves the Sox.” — Mike Walsh

“City of Chicago Jumping Jack Program.” — Edward Olivieri

“Driving a cab in Chicago — freedom, play all day, getting to ride my bike down Pulaski. I would pick up a cab, go anywhere I wanted, bring back the cab at 2 a.m. and ride my bike home. Repeat in the morning. I made a lot of money for me and them!” — Tom Jurgensen

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Chicago record executive Braxton Holmes had a working relationship with house music DJ Paul Johnson when the latter curated music for Cajual Records.

Over time, he got to know — and later admire — the man who spent decades entertaining house heads far and wide.

Multiple outlets reported that Johnson, a South Side native and house music legend, died Wednesday from COVID-19 complications at the age of 50. His death was announced on his Facebook fan page.

Johnson, who is best known for his 1999 track “Get Get Down,” which reached No. 5 on the British music charts, began using a wheelchair following a 1987 shooting incident. He later lost both his legs to amputation.

“I will say, just to get it out, I really admired him,” said Holmes. “The very strong work ethic, and his output was incredible to me. I know how difficult it is to produce records. [Johnson] had his ear to the street, so [Johnson’s music] was very timely. For someone to be so incapacitated, to be that driven, and do all the incredible things that he did, he’s one of the greats.”

Holmes, who says he DJ’d with Johnson at the legendary Chicago nightclub Crobar during the 1990s, describes the local house music legend as “genius level,” and is coming to grips with the fact that COVID-19 complications ended Johnson’s life — not the various setbacks he suffered over time.

“I don’t use the word genius lightly,” said Holmes. “And every time I saw him, he always had a kind word. The last time I saw him physically was a couple of years ago at a record release party. [Johnson] just seemed genuinely happy. It’s unfortunate. I couldn’t sleep last night — that’s how bad it was for me.

“I thought he was out of the woods but apparently; you don’t know until it’s too late, I guess. For him to make it from being shot as a kid, wheelchair-bound, to his legs to being amputated, for [COVID-19] to take him out, it’s very sad.”

Black creatives from niche genres are rarely celebrated while they are still alive, but in Johnson’s case, he was given his flowers while he was able to enjoy them. Legendary electronic music duo Daft Punk immortalized Johnson’s contributions to dance music in their 1997 track “Teachers,” where he was the first name mentioned in the roll call.

In a video posted on his Facebook fan page, Johnson discusses, in part, how his disability would not stop him from being successful in whatever he set his mind to.

“I’ve never let anything hold me back,” said Johnson in the video. “I never had any type of experiences let me down — or put me down. Even this disability couldn’t stop me. … I still have that drive in me right now; It’s a persevering thing. I think I was born with it; I’m sure I was born with.”

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DENVER – The Cubs are trying to rebuild their roster after moving a third of their Opening Day roster over the last two weeks. With an eye now on 2022, the focus has shifted to who will be part of that future.

Second baseman Nico Hoerner and newly acquired second baseman Nick Madrigal are two reasons why the Cubs are optimistic about that future.

Hoerner, who is currently on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain, had established himself as the Cubs’ best option at second base when healthy.

But with Madrigal coming over from the White Sox with a unique skill set that the Cubs haven’t had a lot of over the years, the Cubs have already begun to envision what the two of them could do together.

“I texted him,” Hoerner said before Thursday’s game. “Obviously wish we were both healthy and playing up the middle together right now, but just a great competitor.”

Hoerner and Madrigal haven’t gotten to play together in the big leagues, but they already have some chemistry together from knowing each other over the years. Growing up about an hour away from each other, Hoerner and Madrigal played together for Team USA as teens.

The two then played against each other for three seasons in college while Hoerner was at Stanford and Madrigal was at Oregon State. Both were drafted in the first round of the 2018 MLB Draft with Madrigal being selected fifth overall by the White Sox and Hoerner being taken by the Cubs as the 24th overall pick.

“He’s someone I’ve definitely played against more than I played with. We did grow up playing together and our careers have been kind of parallel,” Hoerner said. “Someone I have a ton of respect for and excited to honestly just spend more time with because we’ve always been playing against each other. Very cool.”

When Hoerner has been healthy, he’s been one of the best defensive second baseman in the National League with the metrics to back it up. Because Madrigal doesn’t have the versatility that Hoerner does, he’ll likely go back to moving around the diamond, seeing time at shortstop and possibly center field where the Cubs liked his athleticism.

“There’s a strong group of players in the big leagues right now that are everyday players and we’re All-Stars that play multiple positions,” Hoerner said. “So there’s definitely no shame in that. If anything, it’s exciting. It’s been fun honing in on second base, like I have in the last year or two, but I still really believe in my ability to play shortstop and other places too.”

But what the Cubs are most excited about is how both players’ offensive profiles help change what they’ve been as a team offense for the last several seasons. Being able to have multiple players who can put the ball in play surrounded by power could change what the team has shown since 2017. Madrigal was slashing .305/.349/.425 with 10 doubles, four triples and two home runs in 54 games before undergoing surgery in June to repair proximal tendon tears in his right hamstring.

“When you talk contact, he’s a whole ‘nother level of contact hitter,” Hoerner said. When you actually dive into it, he’s like the best, right? There’s no one that puts that bat on the ball as well as him.”

“The contact stuff is evident,” manager David Ross said. “When you’ve got two guys that really don’t strike out, move the baseball and you surround those types of guys with some real thunder in their bat. You get guys like that on base and not strikeout, it makes it hard on the other team.”

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A Chicago police officer facing felony charges for shooting and wounding a man while on-duty at the CTA Red Line’s Grand station fired in self-defense when the man resisted arrest, the officer’s lawyer argued Thursday.

But Ariel Roman’s attorneys said claims that Officer Melvina Bogard was trying to protect herself when she shot Roman on Feb. 28, 2020 “completely contradicts the clear video evidence.”

Roman, who Cook County prosecutors said told the officers someone was bothering him in another car and that he had anxiety, was shot in the hip and buttocks, according to his attorneys Andrew M. Stroth and Greg Kulis, who filed a federal lawsuit against the city, Bogard and her partner, Officer Bernard Butler.

“Based on his injuries, his [Roman’s] life will never be the same,” Stroth and Kulis said in a statement Thursday.

Butler, who was recorded by a bystander yelling “shoot him” before Bogard opened fire, has not been charged.

“It was a brawl,” Bogard’s attorney Tim Grace told Judge Susana Ortiz Thursday of the “eight minute struggle” to arrest Roman, 34. Roman “had enough cocaine in his system to tranquilize … a horse” and refused to follow the officers’ directions, Grace said. At one point, Roman “bent” the officers’ handcuffs and tried to push the officers to the edge of the platform, Grace added.

Cook County sheriff’s office

Ortiz, who ordered Bogard released on her own recognizance for aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct, said the officer had 24 hours to turn over any Firearm Owners Identification card, or other permits to carry a weapon.

But Grace said Bogard, 32, had already turned in her department-issued firearm to investigators after the shooting and didn’t own any others.

Assistant State’s Attorney Ken Goff, said both charges against Bogard stemmed from the first shot she fired shortly after 4 p.m. that day.

Bogard and Butler were detailed to a unit to prevent crime on the CTA when they spotted Roman moving between cars while the train was running, Goff said.

Roman told the officers he was trying to get away from the pestering commuter, Goff said.

When the train stopped at the Grand station, the officers told Roman to get off and repeatedly asked for his ID, Goff said. A struggle followed and when Roman wouldn’t follow the officers’ commands, Bogard repeatedly told Roman to “stop resisting” when she tried to handcuff him, Goff said.

Both officers deployed their stun guns early in the encounter, and Bogard also used her pepper spray, which had an effect on Butler and Roman, Goff said.

The officers’ radio calls for assistance wouldn’t transmit in the underground tunnel, Goff also said.

Grace seized on that detail, pointing out that the officers were not provided with radios capable of communicating Bogard’s requests for backup.

Roman was eventually able to stand up before he was held by Butler, who commanded Bogard to “shoot him,” Goff said. Bogard then allegedly placed her handcuffs in her duty belt and pulled her gun on Roman as she stepped back.

Butler had “disengaged” from Roman, who began wiping his eyes and had stepped forward toward Bogard when she fired the first shot into his chest, Goff said. Roman then ran up an escalator toward the station’s main concourse when Bogard allegedly fired the second shot, striking him in the buttocks.

Roman was taken into custody after the shooting and charged with resisting arrest and drug violations. Those charges were later dropped.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability submitted findings from its investigation to Supt. David Brown in October. The Chicago Police Department later moved to fire both officers.

Federal authorities also have opened a criminal investigation into the high-profile police shooting.

“The case is currently pending before the Chicago Police Board,” police spokesman Tom Ahern said in a statement Thursday. “The officer [Bogard] was relieved of police powers in March 2020.”

Bogard is active in her church and comes from a family of cops, including her mother, who recently retired from the CPD after 25 years, Grace said.

Bogard had never been disciplined as an officer, Grace stressed. She and Butler, who were hired in 2017, were fairly new to the department at the time of the shooting.

Bogard is expected back in court on Aug. 18.

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Jessi’s Media Review – A Chicks Point of View!

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Why use magic when you can use guns? Shoot it up in Rainbite’s Trigger Witch!

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By Jessi Moen,
today at 2:53 pm

100’s of years ago the witches and goblins lived in harmony and magic was long forgotten until one day when the witches where chosen to be given the awesome power of Ballisticism! Needless to say the goblins were jealous and the harmony was broken, but all that might soon change!

Trigger Witch is a top down adventure game where you play as Collette a witch who just got excepted into the new witch organization “The Clip” many years ago magic was lost in a field against witches and goblins, so now they rely on fire power and awesome guns known as Ballisticism. However there is still some magic left in the world enough to make a barrier preventing the goblins from getting to the gate where the witches are given their guns. It looks as if the barrier may be breaking though in a mysterious black hooded figure appears through the gate and phases through the barrier. It is now up to Collette the newly accepted witch to figure out what is going on and prevent a war between the goblins and witches.

In Trigger Witch, you can use many different guns all with unlimited ammo (that just needs to be reloaded) and all battles are done in bullet hell style with your witch spinning around and shooting everything in sight! You can quickly switch between guns using one while the other one reloads, and you can also use the collected crystals to upgrade your weapons reload speed, bullet capacity, damage, and The quickness of the firing. You can also collect the life force of the creatures you kill, store it in a potion bottle, and recharge your Health with it. Kind of diabolical but hey! That’s how the world works!

Trigger Witch though it is an action RPG, can be played co-op with two people! Why hog all the carnage to yourself? Each player has their own health bar and weapons but all upgrades are shared between the two. Meaning if one person upgrades the damage of their weapon, the others will be operated as well. This allows for the second player to drop in and out of the game without any real recourse.

There are also some flying shoot-em-up elements in Trigger Witch where you fly around on a broom stick and shoot to kill! This is especially fun in boss battles.

I will tell you that Trigger Witch is a hard game and take some getting used to the movement and shooting style. There is a difficulty level setting, but I find that even very easy has its challenges! And even though the characters are all very sweet and cute, you can expect there to be carnage and blood! If it’s too much for you you can actually turn on piñata mode which turns the blood into festive confetti and candy!

There is not really much in the way of a side quest but there is a hidden casino that lets you gamble some of your hard earned crystals and turn it into sweet sweet prizes! You could even get a familiar that follows you around and helps you collect treasure.

My one big complaint is that it costs a lot to upgrade everything including your Health, so use your crystals wisely! I highly recommend upgrading your damage in bullet capacity right away.

All in all Trigger Witch is a cute adorable yet bloodthirsty action RPG! It could do with some side quests but otherwise Lost explorer.! I give it four out of five baby dragons.

You can get this awesome game here https://www.eastasiasoft.com/games/Trigger-Witch for Steam, PS4 and PS5, Switch and Xbox one for $29.99. No go shoot some adorable creatures!!

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action rpg, bullet hell, Jessi Moen, playstation, Rainbite, Steam, Switch, top down, Trigger Witch, xbox one

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Hot Tix is back: See what shows are offering half price tickets

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By Carole Kuhrt Brewer,
today at 3:29 pm

The League of Chicago Theatres announces the reopening of its Hot Tix locations and the return of half-price tickets signaling the long-awaited reopening of the robust Chicago theatre industry. 

Since theatres ceased in-person productions on March 13, 2020, Hot Tix has been a comprehensive resource for all theatre productions, both online and in-person, regardless of available discounts.

Starting August 1, HotTix.org returned to its regular activity of only offering half-price tickets.

The Hot Tix location at 72 E Randolph, across from the Chicago Cultural Center, will reopen on August 11, 2021. Hours of operation will be Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11am – 6pm. The location at Block Thirty Seven, Shops at108 N. State will reopen on October 1, 2021.

League of Chicago Theatres Executive Director Deb Clapp comments, “With the reopening of theatres, we are again able to offer half-price tickets to one of the League’s most popular services for its members and the ticket-buying public. Hot Tix is a unique discount option in that all profits support the theatre industry through the programs, initiatives and grants generated from the League of Chicago Theatres. It’s an affordable way for audiences to return to the theatre while supporting theatre and theatre practitioners in our area.”

Very Special Deals

In celebration of Hot Tix reopening in-person, Broadway In Chicago is offering half-price tickets to select performances of their upcoming productions of RENT 25^th Anniversary Farewell Tour (October 5-10 at the CIBC Theatre), What the Constitution Means to Me (October 26 – November 21 at the Broadway Playhouse), Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (November 2-7 at the CIBC Theatre), and Disney’s Frozen (November 19, 2021 – January 22, 2022 at the Cadillac Palace Theatre)through Hot Tix. 

A limited number of half-price tickets will be available for 48 hours only Wednesday, August 11 through Thursday, August 12. Tickets will be available online at HotTix.org (the HOTTIX offer code must be entered before selecting seats) or at the Hot Tix location at 72 E. Randolph in the Loop from 11am-6pm on August 11 and 12, while supplies last.

The following productions are a small selection of shows currently available for half-price on HotTix.org or coming soon:

Here’s more

Goodman Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play by Jocelyn Bioh, directed by Lilli-Anne Brown runs through August 29.

Drunk Shakespeare’scast of five classically trained actors meet as the “The Drunk Shakespeare Society” to perform a Shakespeare play in the Loop at The Lion Theatre.

Music Theater Works tells the sunny tale of Mamma Mia! through the music of Abba at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, starting August 19.

Marriott Theatre’s Artist Lounge Series includes Higher and Higher: A Rock ‘n Soul Party with Chester Gregory (August 14 and 15), My Happiness: Michelle Lauto Sings Connie Francis (August 21 and 22) and Elvis My Way: Brandon Bennet (August 28 and 29).

All available half-price tickets are listed and on sale at HotTix.org. Additional shows and tickets will be added as theatre venues reopen in the coming months.

Chicago theatres prioritize gathering safely. Patrons are encouraged to confirm current protocols at each theatre. Shows and protocols are subject to change.

About Chicago theatre 

Chicago theatre is the leader in the U.S. with more than 250 theatres throughout Chicagoland, comprising a rich and varied community ranging from storefront, non-union theatres to the most renowned resident theatres in the country, including 5 which have been honored with Regional Tony Awards, and the largest touring Broadway organization in the nation. Chicago’s theatres serve 5 million audience members annually and have a combined budget of more than $250 million. Chicago produces and/or presents more world premieres annually than any other city in the nation. Each year Chicago theatres send new work to resident theatres across the country, to Broadway, and around the world.  

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About six weeks ago, I wrote a column urging the United States take the lead in vaccinating the world. The case for doing so is even more compelling now.

Yes, we’ve been scratching and clawing at one another domestically over vaccine hesitancy, vaccine disinformation, vaccine mandates, masks, schools and every other damn thing. It’s a disgrace that right-wing infotainers have made basic public health the enemy. Masks and vaccines are weak, they sneer, while simultaneously declaring that any effort to mandate them is communism.

But consider how the vaccinophobes would feel if vaccination became the next great American gift to humanity.

Let’s start with the selfish reasons to do this.

An American-led, global effort to vaccinate the whole planet would be fantastic for our reputation. The American brand has taken some hits since we presided over Pax Americana in the post-World War II era. The Iraq War, with its images of Abu Ghraib, did real damage. The election of Donald Trump and his truculent “America First” posturing further eroded our standing. The arrival of COVID-19 on the heels of this new American unsteadiness spurred even more suspicion of trade and international travel and led to what the World Bank called “viral protectionism.”

While understandable in the first throes of a deadly disease, the long-term consequences of reduced trade would be ruinous — for the United States as much as for other nations. Contrary to the fantasies of some Trumpian protectionists, the U.S. is the world’s largest trading nation. Ninety-five percent of the world’s consumers live outside our borders, and we’ve been flourishing by catering to those consumers. A 2019 survey found that 1 in 5 of us is employed because of international trade.

So, we want a healthy world that can buy our products and sell us things we need and desire. And we want to be perceived by people from Mexico to Malaysia as a benevolent power that looks out for its citizens first, but also considers the well-being of humanity.

Further, as we learned in 2020 (if we didn’t understand it already), we cannot wall ourselves off from diseases that cross borders. If COVID-19 variants are stewing in low-vaccination countries such as India, Ukraine and Nigeria, they can and will threaten the rest of the globe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now advises that the delta variant, which arose in India, is more transmissible than the common cold, the 1918 Spanish flu, smallpox, Ebola, MERS and SARS. It also makes people sicker than the original COVID-19.

Here’s another reason to vaccinate the world: As I noted in my earlier piece, our vaccines advertise the greatness of America. They work — unlike the inferior products produced by China and Russia. Innovation is one of our strengths, and what better advertisement can there be for an open, entrepreneurial system than a wonder drug that so successfully combats the deadly plague that has plunged the world into chaos?

What about the price? Nothing is free. It is estimated that the cost of vaccinating all 7.8 billion humans (assuming that the vaccine will eventually be approved for children) would be somewhere between $50 and $70 billion. That’s it. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the cost to the U.S. economy from COVID-19 over 10 years will be $7.9 trillion. The U.S. government spent $5.3 trillion (so far) to mitigate the pandemic’s effects.

These sums do not include the emotional cost of more than 600,000 lives lost, the fatherless and motherless children or the thousands suffering “long-haul COVID-19.” It does not include the social and emotional cost of more than a year of lost schooling and the forfeited potential advancement of millions of women who left the labor force.

Yes, $50 to $70 billion is a lot of money, but it’s dirt cheap compared with the costs of COVID-19. Democrats and Republicans are currently considering a $1 trillion infrastructure bill. Fine, but the problems the infrastructure bill addresses are long-term; they are not emergencies.

Consider that the next variant may be even worse than delta. It may, rather than mostly sparing the young as the current iteration does, target them as the 1918 flu did. It is no disrespect to the old (I’m getting there myself) to say that that would be infinitely worse.

Though we can easily afford the cost of vaccinating the world, we really wouldn’t need to shoulder the whole burden ourselves. If President Joe Biden led an effort by the wealthy nations of the world, he would surely find willing partners. He could request an emergency session of the G-20 to get this moving.

Presidents Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton were fond of quoting Alexis de Tocqueville to the effect that “America is great because she is good.” Alas, like so many famous quotations, this one is made up. But it’s not a stretch to suggest that the reason the fake quote resonated was that it captured an aspiration. For all of our many flaws, there is something in the American soul that longs for righteousness, that is willing to undertake burdens, that feels a sense of mission to lift up a battered world.

Vaccinating the world is within our scope, and though it would redound to our benefit as much as anyone’s, it would nevertheless be an act of vision and even nobility. It would honor our forebears and inspire our descendants.

Mona Charen is policy editor of The Bulwark and host of the “Beg to Differ” podcast.

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A Chicago police officer facing felony charges for shooting and wounding a man while on-duty at the CTA Red Line’s Grand station fired in self-defense when the man resisted arrest, the officer’s lawyer argued Thursday.

But Ariel Roman’s attorneys said claims that Officer Melvina Bogard was trying to protect herself when she shot Roman on Feb. 28, 2020 “completely contradicts the clear video evidence.”

Roman, who Cook County prosecutors said told the officers someone was bothering him in another car and that he had anxiety, was shot in the hip and buttocks, according to his attorneys Andrew M. Stroth and Greg Kulis, who filed a federal lawsuit against the city, Bogard and her partner, Officer Bernard Butler.

“Based on his injuries, his life will never be the same,” Stroth and Kulis said in a statement Thursday.

Butler, who was recorded by a bystander yelling “shoot him” before Bogard opened fire, has not been charged

“It was a brawl,” Bogard’s attorney Tim Grace told Judge Susana Ortiz Thursday of the “eight minute struggle” to arrest Roman, 34. Roman “had enough cocaine in his system to tranquilize … a horse” and refused to follow the officers’ directions, Grace said. At one point, Roman “bent” the officers’ handcuffs and tried to push the officers to the edge of the platform while trains were running, Grace added.

Ortiz, who ordered Bogard released on her own recognizance for aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct, said the officer had 24 hours to turn over any Firearm Owners Identification card, or other permits to carry a weapon.

But Grace said Bogard, 32, had already turned in her department-issued firearm to investigators after the shooting and didn’t own any others.

Assistant State’s Attorney Ken Goff, said both charges against Bogard stemmed from the first shot she fired shortly after 4 p.m. that day.

Bogard and Butler were detailed to a unit to prevent crime on the CTA when they spotted Roman moving between CTA cars while the train was running, Goff said.

Roman told the officers he was trying to get away from the pestering commuter, Goff said.

When the train stopped at the Grand station, the officers told Roman to get off the train and repeatedly asked for his ID, Goff said. A struggle followed and when Roman wouldn’t follow the officer’s commands, Bogard repeatedly told Roman to “stop resisting” when she tried to handcuff him, Goff said.

Both officers deployed their stun guns early in the encounter, and Bogard also used her pepper spray, which had an effect on Butler and Roman, Goff said.

The officers’ radio calls for assistance wouldn’t transmit in the underground tunnel, Goff also said.

Grace seized on that detail, pointing out that the officers were not provided with radios capable of communicating Bogard’s requests for backup.

Roman was eventually able to stand up before he was held by Butler, who commanded Bogard to “shoot him,” Goff said. Bogard then allegedly placed her handcuffs in her duty belt and pulled her gun on Roman as she stepped back.

Butler had “disengaged” from Roman, who began wiping his eyes and had stepped forward toward Bogard when she fired the first shot into his chest, Goff said. Roman then ran up an escalator toward the station’s main concourse when Bogard allegedly fired the second shot, striking him in the buttocks.

Roman was taken into custody after the shooting and faced resisting arrest and narcotics charges, which were later dropped by the state’s attorney’s office.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability submitted findings from its investigation to Supt. David Brown in October. The Chicago Police Department later moved to fire both officers.

Federal authorities also have opened a criminal investigation into the high-profile police shooting.

“The case is currently pending before the Chicago Police Board,” police spokesman Tom Ahern said in a statement. “The officer was relieved of police powers in March 2020.”

Grace said Bogard was active in her church and “comes from a cop family,” including her mother, who retired from CPD recently after 25 years.

Bogard had never been disciplined as an officer, Grace added. She and Butler, who were hired in 2017, were fairly new to the department at the time of the shooting.

Bogard is expected back in court on Aug. 18.

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The past few months have been filled with festivals, events, and all-around good fun. The city of Chicago is open 100 percent and that means more for us to do. Replay Lincoln Park is hosting the latest event of superheroic proportions with their latest epic summer event a Marvel-themed pop-up called Marvelous Arcade, running now through Labor Day weekend. The bar has transformed its gaming areas into an immersive experience filled with some fan-favorite characters, complete with Marvel-themed weekly trivia, cosplay pageants, along with 15 Marvel-themed arcade and pinball games, and so much more to enjoy the remainder of this summer.

Beginning Friday, July 30 and running through Monday, September 6, Chicago’s favorite pop-up bar will transform its gaming areas into an immersive experience filled with some fan-favorite characters, complete with Marvel-themed weekly trivia, cosplay pageants, along with 15 Marvel-themed arcade and pinball games including Spiderman pinball, Marvel vs Street Fighter arcade, X-men Arcade, and much more, all in one place courtesy of Pop-Up Productions. This event and all of the games are free, with no reservations, tickets, or tokens required. 

During this limited pop-up, there will be Marvel-themed events that include trivia every Thursday night at 7 pm, along with cosplay pageants with cash prizes, a Guardians of the Galaxy karaoke night, fan art for sale, DJ sets on Thursday through Saturday, among other fun promotions. Pop up aficionados will also have the opportunity to treat themselves to Marvel-themed cocktails including the Wauconda 4ever; Hulk Smash’d; Ride the Lightning; I Love Your 300; I Am Inevitable, a limited time bomb, and more; along with themed treats like Quantum Pretzels, Stan Cur-Lee Fries, a Shawarma Smash, Auntie Mae’s Chocolate Cake, and more. 

“Everyone loves a good action-packed movie, so we thought this would be the perfect summertime event not to be missed,” said Mark Kwiatkowski, owner of Replay Lincoln Park, via a press release. “We encourage all superhero fans to stop by and enjoy the remainder of this summer while we still can!” 

The Marvelous Arcade-inspired pop-up is 21+ and is reservation-free. Covid-19 restrictions will be practiced, and protocols will be strictly observed to ensure the safety of patrons and employees. Guests who show proof they have been fully vaccinated will be allowed to remove their masks. Please note, this is not an official event sanctioned by Marvel.   

Replay Lincoln Park features over 60+ free vintage arcade games, including pinball, air hockey, skeeball, and more. With no cover or tokens needed, Replay Lincoln Park invites guests for great fun from 5 p.m. – 2 a.m. Monday – Thursday, Friday 3 p.m. – 2 a.m., 12 p.m. – 3 a.m. Saturday, and 12 p.m. – 2 a.m. Sunday.  

For more information or to reserve tickets to select events, please visit www.replaylincolnpark.com, call (773) 665-5660, or follow Replay on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. For additional information on Replay’s variety of pop-up bars, check out UrbanMatter’s review of their ‘90’s inspired Nick Arcade’ pop-up.

Feature Image Credit: Replay Lincoln Park on Facebook

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A Chicago police officer was released on her own recognizance Thursday for shooting and wounding a man while on-duty at the CTA Red Line’s Grand station.

Officer Melvina Bogard, 32, is facing aggravated battery with a firearm and official misconduct for the Feb. 28, 2020 shooting.

In her order, Cook County Judge Susana Ortiz said she neither found Bogard to be a danger to the community, nor at risk of not showing up for her court hearings.

The state’s attorneys office, which announced the charges against Bogard Thursday, has not filed charges against Officer Bernard Butler, who was with Bogard at the time of the shooting and was recorded by a bystander yelling “shoot him” before Bogard opened fire.

Shortly after 4 p.m. that day, Bogard and Butler tried to arrest 34-year-old Ariel Roman after he was seen walking between cars on a northbound Red Line train.

The officers followed Roman when he got off the train and tried taking Roman into custody at the bottom of a set of stairs leading up to the station’s main concourse.

Roman struggled with Butler and was eventually able to stand up. Video footage showed two deployed stun guns on the station’s floor.

As Roman ran up the stairs, Butler repeatedly yelled for Bogard to fire, the video shows. Bogard shot once at Roman when he was a few feet away from her and then again when he neared the top of the stairs.

Roman was shot in the hip and buttocks, according to his attorneys Andrew M. Stroth and Greg Kulis, who filed a lawsuit against the city and both officers.

“Based on his injuries, his life will never be the same,” Stroth and Kulis said in a statement Thursday.

“The State’s Attorney’s Office, U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI conducted a comprehensive investigation and today’s charges are consistent with the unjustified actions of these officers. Ariel Roman was unarmed, did not present a threat and was shot as he ran away,” the statement also said.

Roman was taken into custody after the shooting and faced resisting arrest and narcotics charges, which were later dropped by the state’s attorney’s office.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability submitted findings from its investigation to Supt. David Brown in October. The Chicago Police Department later moved to fire both officers.

Federal authorities also have opened a criminal investigation into the high-profile police shooting.

“The case is currently pending before the Chicago Police Board,” police spokesman Tom Ahern said in a statement. “The officer was relieved of police powers in March 2020.”

Bogard is expected back in court on Aug. 18.

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