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CHICAGO -- A Chicago police officer is recovering after she was severely beaten in the city's Austin neighborhood by a man who was high on drugs.

Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Thursday that the officer said she did not use her gun for fear of the backlash she might face.

"She didn’t want her family or the department to go through the scrutiny the next day on national news," Johnson said.

The officer injured is a 17-year Chicago police veteran. She had an encounter with a man who was allegedly high on PCP on Wednesday morning.

Police say the man smashed the officer's face into the sidewalk until she became unconscious.

The officer survived and is recovering in the hospital.

The suspect will face charges.

-The Chicago Tribune contributed to this report

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