CHICAGO—Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson became ill and waivered on his feet during a news conference Friday morning.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was speaking at a podium with Johnson standing beside him when the mayor stopped suddenly and turned to the police superintendent saying, “Are you OK?” People then surrounded Johnson, who appeared dazed as he walked toward a chair.
Several people shouted: “Call 911.”
Ambulance called after CPD Supt. Eddie Johnson appeared to fall ill and nearly faint at a press conference. https://t.co/tTA5GfqQTI pic.twitter.com/1IcP2Wigff
— CBS Chicago (@cbschicago) January 27, 2017
Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said on Twitter that Johnson “felt light-headed” and didn’t lose consciousness.
Guglielmi says Johnson was coherent and will go to a hospital to be examined, AP reported.
Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson taken to hospital after feeling “light-headed” at news conference. https://t.co/IUpgu1HllR pic.twitter.com/nnNcDhVMEZ
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) January 27, 2017
Johnson and the mayor were announcing technological advances for police as the city deals with increases in homicides and shootings in recent years.
“His eyes started to roll back and he kind of fell backwards,” according to one eyewitness, as ABC7 reported.
The ABC affiliate reported that he was taken to the hospital via an ambulance.
“Johnson walked to his car on his own,” Guglielmi wrote on Twitter. He was “talking, alert [and] feeling better.”
The press conference was about the police department’s new tactics.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
