Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart's Officers Fires Shots at Career Negro Criminal Jordan Cook, 18, Escaping Custody

A Cook County Sheriff Officer fired shots at a man facing gun charges who escaped custody Thursday afternoon outside a Cook County branch court in the Fuller Park area, authorities said.

The man, Jordan Cook, 18, was recaptured about 10 minutes after escaping near the branch court at 155 W. 51st St., officials said.

Cook, who had been at the courthouse to face various weapons-related charges, had been seeking a reduction of his bail amount, Cook County sheriff's spokeswoman Sophia Ansari said.

As prisoners were being loaded into a sheriff's vehicle about 4:30 p.m. to be taken back to Cook County Jail, Cook broke out of line, and a sheriff's officer fired two shots in an attempt to recapture him, Ansari said. No one was injured.

Cook was captured by Chicago police officers about 4:40 p.m. near 51st and State streets, said Officer Kevin Quaid, a police spokesman.

Cook originally had been arrested about 9:25 p.m. in the 6600 block of South Aberdeen Street on suspicion of unlawful possession of a handgun, according to police records. He was charged with unlawful use of a weapon, reckless discharge of a firearm, and misdemeanor marijuana and ammunition possession, according to court records.

Cook, of the 11900 block of South Lowe Avenue, appeared Thursday before Cook County Judge Sandra Ramos and was indicted on a host of other weapons charges related to the original incident, according to court records. He's due back in court Aug. 11.