Chicago police officer killed Remembering a Fallen Hero
Just over a year after Andrés Vásquez Lasso Chicago Police Officer Killed tragically in the line of duty, a remembrance video featured his colleague Luis Huesca referring to him as someone who truly deserved to wear the police badge.
Huesca, pointing to a badge on his lapel engraved with Vásquez Lasso's number 7649, commented, “He was very proud to wear this star.”
Tragic End to a Young Officer’s Life
Now, the Chicago Police Department is grieving the loss of Officer Huesca, who was fatally shot while heading home from his shift early Sunday morning, just two days before his 31st birthday.
Mayor Brandon Johnson released a statement saying that Huesca was part of the Calumet District (5th) priority response team. Although off-duty, he was still in his uniform when he was shot in the Gage Park area around 3 a.m.
Off-duty Chicago police officer shot, killed in Gage Park https://t.co/AUytdbDqNN pic.twitter.com/kwmoukpwJ6
— CBS Chicago (@cbschicago) April 21, 2024
Source: Twitter/CBS Chicago
Officers who were responding to a "gunshot detection alert" at the 5500 block of South Kedzie Avenue found Huesca with multiple gunshot wounds on the 3100 block of West 56th Street.
Superintendent Larry Snelling revealed in a Sunday morning press conference that Huesca was hit by several bullets and was later declared deceased at the University of Chicago Medical Center. His vehicle was also stolen from the scene.
A Community in Mourning
Mayor Brandon Johnson expressed his condolences and support during this difficult time. "I met with Officer Huesca’s mother and uncle this morning and assured them that they have the full support of my administration as they deal with this unspeakable loss," Johnson stated.
"Our city is mourning, and our heartfelt sympathies go out to their entire family, as well as to Luis’ fellow officers and the community."
Meanwhile, on Kedzie Avenue, life continued as usual with cars pulling into supermarkets and strip malls on Sunday afternoon. However, just a short distance away, on the residential, tree-lined 56th Street, the atmosphere was markedly different.
Red and yellow police tape sectioned off several blocks of brick homes, sealing the area of the tragedy.
The Shock of Violence in a Peaceful Community
At the crime scene, police officers and detectives were busy, marking evidence spots on the ground and collecting items into plastic bags. As local residents left church services, clusters of people gathered, drawn to the boundaries set by the caution tape, inquiring about the events that had unfolded.
Miguel Torres Cruz, a resident of Gage Park for two years, mentioned that he was unaware of the incident as it occurred. "I didn’t hear anything at all last night; I slept right through it," he stated in Spanish.
"I often go out late for tacos and feel safe. We usually don't have incidents like this here, no robberies, assaults, nothing."
Maria Jose, another local, was queuing at a bank near the shooting scene on Sunday morning when she learned of the incident. "There's caution tape stretching down two or three blocks," she observed in Spanish. "It’s typically very quiet around here. Now, I feel scared."
A Year of Losses for Chicago Police
According to Tribune reports, Huesca is the third Chicago police officer to be shot this year, and the first to be fatally wounded. Earlier in the year, on January 8, a veteran officer was shot in the leg during a shootout with a burglary suspect in the Gold Coast neighborhood.
Another incident occurred on March 21, when a police officer was shot during an investigatory stop in Humboldt Park, with the assailant also critically injured.
In the previous year, 32-year-old Officer Andrés Vásquez Lasso was shot while responding to a domestic incident in Gage Park in March. In May 2023, Officer Aréanah Preston, 24, assigned to the Calumet District, was fatally shot while returning home after her night shift.
Governor’s Message of Condolence
Governor J.B. Pritzker expressed his condolences on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Sunday evening.
"Thinking of his family and fellow officers as we mourn the passing of a dedicated officer," Pritzker stated. "May his memory be a blessing and his service never forgotten."
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