Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson fell ill at a press conference Friday at a South Side police station and appeared about to faint, the Chicago Sun-Times is reporting.
As Johnson got wobbly, there were requests for candy for him and shouts to call an ambulance, which arrived with a fire truck shortly after.
Before the ambulance arrived, Mayor Rahm Emanuel gave Johnson some water.
Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi Tweeted: “Supt Johnson felt light headed at presser and did not lose consciousness. He was coherent and will go to an area hospital for examination.”
The news conference at the Englewood District station at 1483 W. 63rd St. was halted as Johnson was attended to. It had been called to highlight upgrades in crime-prediction analytics being made in the department.
It was wrapping up when Johnson started getting rubber-legged, and his eyes appeared to glaze over.
Johnson was the surprise choice of Emanuel as superintendent after the mayor rejected three nominees chosen by the police board last year after a nationwide search. Johnson hadn’t applied for the job when he was thrust into the high-profile post.
Chicago has been on the receiving end of a constant barrage of negative comments by President Donald Trump, who this week used the city as an example of the “carnage” happening on the nation’s streets. “What the hell is going on in Chicago,” Trump asked this week, and he tweeted that, if things couldn’t be brought under control, it might be time to bring in “the feds.”
Johnson appeared fine before the news conference, despite the obvious pressure he’s been under.