An off-duty Dixmoor police officer was accused of shooting at a car last week in Glenwood, officials said.
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Bail was set Monday at $15,000 for Tory Bridgeforth, 31, who is charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm, Cook County prosecutors said.
Inside the Markham courtroom, prosecutors said Bridgeforth allegedly fired shoots at a white Toyota that had driven past him and his girlfriend last Wednesday night in the 4000 block of South Harper.
Bridgeforth “was in fear for his life at the time of the incident,” said defense attorney Todd McCutcheon. He said his client, who has been an officer for three years, called police immediately following the shooting.
Prosecutors said the white Toyota at no time veered toward Bridgeforth and his girlfriend.
Bridgeforth got out of his car and went to girlfriend’s car parked on the side of the road to speak to her while she remained in the driver’s seat, prosecutors said.
The white Toyota turned around returned at a high rate of speed, prosecutors said. The vehicle then continued past Bridgeforth, and the occupants of the vehicle made no statements as it passed.
Bridgeforth allegedly then pointed a firearm toward the white Toyota and fired two shots, prosecutors said. Using security camera footage, Bridgeforth located the white Toyota about 15 minutes later abandoned.
The car’s plates came back stolen out of Harvey, prosecutors said.
Bridgeforth then called 911 and spoke with officers, prosecutors said. Police recovered two .45-caliber shell casings from the scene and a projectile that had passed through a nearby mailbox.
On Friday, detectives reviewed security camera footage and allegedly determined that the video recording did not match Bridgeforth story, prosecutors said.
Bridgeforth, who turned himself in Sunday, was ordered to surrender his Firearm Owner’s Identification Card as part of the conditions of his bail.
Messages left with the Dixmoor and Glenwood police departments were not returned Monday.
Bridgeforth returns to court May 1.
Nick Swedberg is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.