3rd Man Accused Of Murdering Chicago Police Officer John Rivera

CHICAGO — A third man has been taken into custody after the murder of off-duty Chicago Police Officer John Rivera, police said. Jaquan Washington, 22, has been charged with three felony counts of attempted first-degree murder.

Menelik Jackson, 24, of South Holland, and Jovan Battle, 32, of Chicago, have also been charged with attempted first-degree murder.

Rivera was shot in the early hours of Saturday, March 23, after he and his friends left a restaurant in the 600 block of North Clark Street, police said. He was sitting in a car, when police said Jackson and Washington fired shots, striking Rivera in the chest, arm and mouth. Police said Battle was a co-conspirator.

CPD Supt. Eddie Johnson said Rivera was targeted because he was Latino, and called the murder a hate crime.

Investigators said Jackson, Washington and Battle had a run-in with Latino men on a party bus earlier in the night, and couldn't find them again. They then fired shots at the first Hispanic man they saw, police said.

In an act of bravery, Rivera shielded his girlfriend and other passengers in the car while he was being shot, police said.

Battle was picked up by 18th District police shortly after the shooting. Detectives pieced together the investigation using both police and private security cameras, and license plate readers. Police were able to saturate the area where Jackson's pickup truck had been picked up on the plate reader, leading them to his arrest. Police said officers also found the .40-caliber handgun used to kill Rivera at Jackson's apartment.

Washington remained at large until his arrest on Tuesday.

Police confirmed rumors that Jackson had once applied to become a Chicago police officer, but was rejected.

"This guy actually had the nerve to think he could become a Chicago police officer. It's disgusting," Johnson said. "Today he stands accused of committing the ultimate disgrace to what this star stands for."

Rivera, 23, worked as a police officer in the 6th District for two years before his fatal shooting.

Washington was scheduled to appear in bond court Wednesday.

Lorraine Swanson contributed to this report.