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Murder

Chicago Police Officer Killed in Shooting, Suspects in Custody

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A 29-year-old female officer, Ella French, was shot and killed Saturday in a traffic stop in Chicago, marking the first shooting death for a member of the Chicago Police Department this year. The suspects, including one wounded in the officers' return fire, have been taken into custody, with two arrested and one hospitalized. Officer French was a new mother, having recently returned to duty from maternity leave, and had a two-month-old child. The incident occurred during a series of shootings in Chicago over the weekend, which saw 41 people shot and five killed in 10 hours.

Key Takeaways:

  • The shooting death of Officer Ella French marks the first for a member of the Chicago Police Department this year.
  • French, a 29-year-old mother of a two-month-old child, was shot after a male offender opened fire on officers inside a police car.
  • One of the suspects, a male offender with a history of robbery, was struck during the officers' return fire and is hospitalized.
  • A second offender was immediately arrested at the time of the shooting, and a third female suspect was apprehended Sunday.
  • French was on her second day back from maternity leave and had been working to balance new motherhood with her police duties.
  • Shootings have been on the rise in Chicago, with 41 people shot and five killed in 10 hours over the weekend.
  • Data from the CPD released on August 3 showed that crime-related complaints have decreased by six percent, but shooting incidents have increased by 11 percent compared to last year.

Statistics:

  • 41 people were shot in Chicago over the weekend.
  • 5 people were killed in a matter of 10 hours.
  • 1 mass shooting injured two teenagers aged 16 and 17.
  • Another mass shooting in the 1800 block of West 87th Street killed a 37-year-old man.
  • The CPD reported a decrease of six percent in crime-related complaints, but an increase of 11 percent in shooting incidents compared to last year.

Sources:

  • FOX News
  • Chicago Sun-Times
  • CPD Public CompStat Report (August 3, 2021)
  • Twitter post by Mayor Lori Lightfoot

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