Posted on 07/02/2008 2:14:28 PM PDT by Graybeard58
Neighbors say officer was dedicated father and good neighbor
A Chicago police officer responding to a disturbance outside a CTA bus was killed early today when he struggled with a woman who grabbed his gun and shot him in the head across the street from a North Side police station.
Officers responding to Officer Richard Francis’ call for assistance with the disturbance near Belmont and Western opened fire on the woman, critically wounding her, police said.
Both were taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, where Francis, 60, a 27-year veteran of the force, was pronounced dead at 2:57 a.m., according to the medical examiner’s office.
Francis is the first Chicago police officer shot to death in the line of duty since 2002.
He was alone on patrol in a squad car when a CTA bus driver flagged him down. The bus driver was worried about a woman who became verbally abusive when the eastbound bus stopped on Belmont to let passengers out.
The driver did not open the doors and honked the horn to flag down Francis for assistance, Belmont District Cmdr. John Kenny said.
Francis called for backup and stopped to help. The woman struggled with Francis, grabbed his revolver and shot him once, police said.
The woman threatened other officers who responded and they shot her multiple times, police said. She was being treated at Illinois Masonic.
Officers at the hospital saluted as an ambulance took Francis’ body to the morgue.
Before the ambulance arrived at the morgue, a Chicago Police squad car blocked the intersection of Leavitt and Harrison.
At least 15 squad cars then turned onto Leavitt, parked in a row and officers got out.
They solemnly removed their hats and saluted the ambulance as it turned off Harrison onto Leavitt and into the medical examiner’s lot. Once the ambulance was parked, the officers got back into their cars and drove away in single file.
Francis’ partner was among the officers who arrived at the medical examiner’s office.
“It's a tragic loss for his family. It’s a terrible loss for the Chicago Police Department,” police Supt. Jody Weis said outside the hospital. “It's a stark reminder of what the dangers that the officers of this department face every day.”
Mayor Daley said Francis’ death is a “sad reminder of how much gratitude we owe to the men and women of the Chicago Police Department.”
Police believe the woman who shot Francis is homeless. Officers said they’ve seen her sleeping in chairs in the station. She also appears to have a history of mental illness, sources said.
Police have not released the name of the woman, who does not seem to have an extensive arrest record.
Normally, Francis worked in a squadrol — the wagons used to transport groups of people under arrest.
But his regular partner was off, so he decided to work in a squad car, Kenny said.
“It’s not unusual to have someone working alone at night,” Kenny said. “Unfortunately, we have officers working alone.”
Sometimes, it’s the officer’s personal preference to work alone; other times it’s a scheduling issue, Kenny said.
He noted that the officers who responded to Francis’ disturbance call were “no more than a block away.”
“Rick saw a disturbance near the bus, called for another car and the situation just spun out of control,” Kenny said.
Sources said they did not think Francis’ holster was an issue. He used a current model “safety” holster, they said.
Francis lived in the Union Ridge neighborhood on the Northwest Side and moved there almost a decade ago, residents said.
Red, white and blue bows decorated the railing of his home this morning. Small American flags were planted in a garden out front, where a pinwheel whirled in the breeze.
“He was a wonderful guy. . . .He’s been a great neighbor,” Susan Fracek said.
Before today, the last Chicago officer shot to death in the line of duty was Jefferson Park Officer Donald Marquez, who was killed in March 2002 while serving a warrant on a 77-year-old man.
Will the Chicago anti-gunners now say that Chicago Police should not be armed?
Seems an obvious next step. They always say that if you have a gun somebody will just take it away from you and use it on you.
Proof positive here.
Most likely, a good cop, too decent to taze her.
Reopen the mental institutions, maybe save a life.
Prayers. RIP. : (
The homeless advocates would not go for it as it would hurt their funding.
Condolences to the folks in Chicago, it stinks when a cop is killed trying to be helpful.
I can’t help but wonder if an armed citizen might have been able to assist him. We’ll never know because there are no armed “ordinary citizens” in Illinois. Just police officers and a few Chicago Aldermen.
My son is a policeman in Illinois (Not Chicago) and he wants to see every law abiding citizen armed.
Won’t happen in Illinois in my life time, maybe my grand children will see it.
I was convinced that I wouldn't live to see the Heller decision. Things are moving more quickly than I had anticipated. I hope that you are surprised by future events.
I understand that one of the Chicago suburbs has suspended enforcement of their anti-handgun law and will be reviewing it in light of Heller. Now would be a very good time for each of us to be heard supporting change outside the court system.
no, we wouldn’t quite honestly. what if i ever had to use my partners or another officer’s gun in a fight? unfortunately, the only way through this is good gun-retention training and proper distance if possible.
NJ wants smart gun technology in all guns sold in NJ. First to oppose using them were the police unions and they demanded an exemption if it becomes law when the technology is fully developed. They know something that the rest of the politicians ignore but willing to impose it on all law abiding citizens. There are momentary delays in activating the weapon’s software, thus the criminal with a gun have moments to shoot the officer full of holes. The law also is written that the company making the technology cannot be sued if their product fails and the gunowner is killed by the attacker.
As a former state certified police firearms instructor, I taught that every encounter that police have with members of the public is an armed encounter because you the police officer ALWAYS have a pistol with you and that you nmust always consider it’s retention as an issue.
My condolences to this officer’s family.
i've been to chicago a couple of times and the cops have always been aces with us. they are all very close and this will hit them hard.
10-4 on the mental instituions quip.
What kind of retension system did his holster have? Did he not have it engaged? Was he mandated to use a department issued holster? Which one? Does anyone know?
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