Patrolman Young | Star #16148

Patrolman Gregory Ivan Young, Star #16148, aged 41 years, was a 10 year, 5 month, 5 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the 15th District – Austin.

On September 18, 1997, at 9:04 p.m., Officer Young was off duty and in the company of Leslie Adams, age 28, a Cook County Sheriff’s Deputy. The two were sitting in his parked SUV inside Garfield Park at 3500 West Schrader Drive. Two males, Chris Davis, age 27, of 120 North Hermitage Avenue and Tory Robertson, age 20, of 1920 West Washington Boulevard approached the officer’s vehicle. Davis approached the driver side window and announced a robbery while Robertson acted as a lookout. He told Officer Young that he had a gun. Officer Young then grabbed his black pouch and said “here take it.” He then attempted to push it through the partially open window. The black pouch was too big to fit so Officer Young began to open his door. Adams retrieved Officer Young’s gun which was located between the two front bucket seats. She handed him the gun as he opened the door. Officer Young then tells Davis that he is the police announcing his office twice. In response Davis fires his gun once striking Officer Young in the left shoulder as he exited his car. Officer Young returns fire as Davis backs away and chases him to the rear of his vehicle where several more shots are fired. Davis was struck several times and seriously wounded. Robertson then ran over to Davis, picked up his gun, and fled the scene on foot. Officer Young then runs around to the passenger side of his car just as Adams exits the vehicle. He tells her that he is hit and collapses to the ground. Adams then jumped into Young’s Jeep and drove off in an attempt to get him help.

Beat 1144, Patrolmen L. Coleman and R. Grajewski were patrolling nearby when they heard the gunfire and raced to the scene where they found Young and Davis laying on the ground. When Adams saw the police at the scene she returned to explain what had occurred. Other responding officers placed Robertson in custody after they observed him fleeing on foot, his hands covered in blood, throwing the gun in a garbage can. Officer Young was transported to Cook County Hospital by CFD Ambulance #45 where he was pronounced dead by Dr. Seth Krosner at 9:47 p.m. on September 18, 1997. Davis was also transported to Cook County Hospital by CFD Ambulance #10. It was later learned that the gun used by Davis was reported stolen a month prior from a Chicago Housing Authority police officer during a tavern robbery.

Davis and Robertson were arrested and charged with 1st degree murder. They stood trial and were convicted of Officer Young’s murder. Davis was sentenced to death. On January 10, 2003, the governor at the time, George Ryan commuted Davis’ sentence, along with those of all 167 other inmates on death row, to life in prison as his last act in office. Robertson was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

Officer Young was waked at Corbin Colonial Funeral Chapel located at 5345 West Madison Street, his funeral mass held at Rising Sun Baptist Church. He was laid to rest on September 23, 1997 in Forest Home Cemetery, 863 Desplaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois.

Patrolman Gregory Ivan Young, born July 19, 1956, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on April 13, 1887.

Officer Young was a member of the Fraternal Order of Police. He was survived by his wife, Gladis (nee Phillips), age 41; children: Gregory Jason, age 15 and Rashida Lashone (CPD), age 21; parents: David H., age 86 and Marguerite M. (nee Hatcher), age 75 and siblings: Celeste J., Donald, Kim Gregory, Lamont H., Loretta (Emmett) Frazier, Melvin, Michael H., Robert, Walter F., Wayne P. and Willie May (Rufus) Clay.

Incident Recorded Under Chicago Police Department RD #B595676.

On November 14, 1997, Officer Young’s star was retired by Superintendent Matt L. Rodriguez and enshrined in the Superintendent’s Honored Star Case, located in the lobby at Chicago Police Headquarters, 1121 South State Street. In 2000, Chicago Police Headquarters moved to a new facility at 3510 South Michigan Avenue, Officer Young’s Star was re-encased in the new headquarters building lobby.