Man shot by Skokie police

A man was shot Saturday morning in Skokie after police say he wielded a knife at officers.

Authorities said the suspect, a 53-year-old man, refused orders to drop his weapon even after officers struck him with a baton and sprayed him with pepper spray.

Skokie police said the man, who was wanted in connection with a crime in neighboring Evanston, was shot in the leg after he repeatedly lunged at officers with a knife.

The incident began just before 10 a.m. Saturday after Skokie police were called to the 4800 block of Oakton Street, where police say they found the man confronting a local business owner.

“An officer arrived shortly on the scene and sees the suspect matching that description, asks him to stop. As he’s asking him to stop, turns to him and realizes he’s holding a knife,” Skokie Sgt. David Pawlak said.

The incident was caught on camera as it unfolded near Skokie Boulevard and Oakton Street.

A bystander, who asked not to be identified, recorded the confrontation on his cellphone. The video shows what happened moments before the shooting.

The suspect was taken to the hospital, where he remains under guard, police said. Officials said no Skokie officers were injured in the incident.

The suspect has not been identified, and charges against him could come in a day or two.