AVONDALE — A group of vandals exchanged gunfire with an off-duty police officer in the middle of the day Wednesday in Avondale.

The incident happened in the 3400 block of North Elston Avenue at 11:28 a.m, according to Chicago Police.

The officer witnessed a group defacing a building with graffiti and "engaged with them," prompting someone in the group to fire shots at him, according to Ald. Deb Mell (33rd) and police.

The off-duty police officer also fired shots, according to Officer Kevin Quaid, a Chicago Police spokesman.

The group then ran off, Mell said in a Facebook post on the official 33rd Ward Facebook page. No one was injured.

A police supervisor at the scene said the graffiti was not related to the election or political in nature.

David Heimerle, 38, who has lived near the intersection for a decade and grew up down the street, said Avondale continues to see more crime.

"It's just been getting crazy," said Heimerle, who stopped to get out of his car to find out what happened.

Recently, Heimerle said a drunken driver was smashing into poles in his alley. And a man recently walked past his house and pretended to point a gun in his direction, he said.

"I feel bad for kids [who] have to grow up in the next generations," he said.

Police said they are questioning three people of interest.

Mell urged residents to "exercise caution and call 911 immediately if you see something suspicious."

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