Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez announced the charges against Chicago police officer, who was involved in off-duty, under the influence of alcohol, firing incident on the Southwest Side of Chicago.
John Gorman, 53, faces Aggravated Discharge of Firearm charges after firing several shots at two men and being under the influence of alcohol in the off-duty incident in 2014. Gorman is a full-time employed police officer of the Chicago Police Department since 2001.
Investigations revealed that on the afternoon of November 23, 2014, Gorman was driving his personal vehicle around the Mount Greenwood Community, between the Pulaski Road and 111th Street. Charles Ostrowski, a part-time suburban firefighter, and Dominic Dimaggio, an off-duty Merrionette Park police officer, attempted to approach the defendant, after noticing erratic driving and nearly crashing into a flower vendor. Ostrowski testified that he saw the driver sitting “crooked and askew.”
Prosecutors noted that the defendant eventually stopped at a traffic light, by which Ostrowski and Dimaggio took their chance to approach Gorman. The Merrionette Park police officer held out his police badge to identify himself as a police officer and advanced to Gorman’s Buick. Dimaggio claimed he had seen an open bottle of beer in Gorman’s hand, as he was requesting to have his windows rolled down. The defendant ignored the request and, instead, drove off as the traffic lights turned green.
The two men continued to observe the defendant weaving in and out of traffic while driving recklessly. Gorman was reported to have been operating at a high rate of speed, which was why the two men followed him to obtain his license plate number. Details of the incident were reported to a 911 dispatcher in real-time. Gorman eventually pulled over around 111th and Prospect Avenue and got off his car with another off-duty police officer who was sitting in the passenger’s seat. The defendant then walked to the back of his car with a pistol on his side and proceeded to shoot fire five rounds in the direction of the two men. Ostrowski and Dimaggio successfully evaded the gunshots; however, a bullet hit the rear bumper of the car.
Five 0.380 auto caliber cartridge cases were reported to have been retrieved from the scene of the crime. They were subsequently submitted to the Illinois State Police Crime Laboratory for ballistics testing to identify the owner of the gun.
Results of the ballistics testing revealed Gorman to be the owner of the gun. Description of the defendant’s vehicle further proved Gorman to be the owner of the Buick involved in the shooting incident.
Upon arrest, Gorman was requested to do a breath analyzer exam but has refused to do so. Internal Affairs Division investigators obliged the defendant to comply with the needed exam under administrative disciplinary measures. The assessment shows 0.07 blood alcohol content, even five hours after the incident.
Gorman was charged with one misdemeanor count of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, had his weapon surrendered, and is currently serving on desk duty.
Judge Adam Bourgeois set Gorman’s bond at $50,000 during the bond court on November 10, 2015, at the Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Chicago. The defendant’s next court date is scheduled for December 1, 2015.
With the provided criminal documents containing allegations that are not evidence of guilt, the public is reminded that the defendant shall be presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the state has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Updated: August 6, 2020