An East Chicago Police officer has been exonerated in a July shooting, while the man who was shot — whose uncle, an E.C. councilman, defended him — has been charged with several felonies in the incident.

Curtis Lamar Hill, 44, was charged with aggravated Battery, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, pointing a firearm, unlawful carrying of a firearm by a violent convicted felon, and resisting law enforcement, East Chicago Police Chief Jose Rivera announced in a statement Saturday. The Lake County Prosecutor’s Office, meanwhile, cleared Officer Jose Vega “of any wrongdoing,” Rivera said.

“Officer Vega displayed courage and professionalism in the face of a dangerous and rapidly evolving situation,” Rivera said his statement. “His actions are a powerful reminder of the challenges law en

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