The family of a slain Chicago police officer on Monday asked Mayor Brandon Johnson (D) and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) not to attend his funeral as the search for his gunman continues.
Officer Luis M. Huesca, 30, was shot and killed just before 3 a.m. Sunday while driving home, Breitbart News reported. report.
He was still in his military uniform when a fellow officer found him, and he was pronounced dead at a hospital after suffering multiple gunshot wounds.
of Huesca vehicle According to local station CWB Chicago, the man was missing from the scene, but police have not said whether the carjacking was related to the shooting or occurred after the shooting.
Rewards totaling $100,000 are being offered by multiple agencies for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Xavier L. Tate Jr., the Aurora man who investigators say killed an off-duty police officer. ing.
of #FBI Police in Chicago, Illinois are assisting in the search for Xavier L. Tate, Jr., who is wanted in connection with the April 21, 2024 murder of a Chicago Police Department officer. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to his murder. Arrests and convictions: https://t.co/Xucp47jKgn pic.twitter.com/Izgit89rUY
— FBI Most Wanted (@FBIMostWanted) April 27, 2024
Huesca, who would have celebrated his 31st birthday in two days, had been with the Chicago Police Department for six years at the time of his murder.
Mayor Johnson released a statement shortly after the shooting, saying he had met with the mother and uncle of the deceased police officer and promised them “the full support of my administration in dealing with this indescribable loss.” .
“Our city is grieving and our condolences go out to Lewis’s fellow officers and the community, as well as their entire families,” he said.
Mr. Johnson and other politicians had planned to attend Mr. Huesca’s funeral, but NBC News reporter Mary Ann Ahern said officials had been instructed not to do so by Mr. Johnson’s family. Told.
“Mr. Pritzker respects those wishes,” Mr. Ahern said.
When Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza asked what she could do for the family at Sunday’s vigil, Huesca’s mother reportedly replied, “Tell the mayor not to come.” ing. We don’t want him there. ”
“Tomorrow is about my son and his family’s grief. We don’t want him to disrespect his memory. The mayor doesn’t support the police,” the grieving mother reportedly said.
“Mr. Mendoza passed that information on to the mayor’s chief of staff, who then relayed it directly to the mayor,” Ahern reported. “The mayor listened to his family’s concerns, but he did not say whether he would respect their wishes.”
Huesca’s mother said, “Tell the mayor not to come. We don’t want him there. Tomorrow is about the grief of our son and his family. We want him to disrespect his memory.” No. The mayor does not support the police.” Mendoza relayed this information to the mayor’s office (2/3).
— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) April 29, 2024
Mendoza confirmed the exchange Monday morning and insisted Johnson still plans to attend.
Last night at OFC. Her grief-stricken mother asked, visiting Huesca. @RepAGC Please tell me (Rep. Angelica Guerrero Cuellar) @Chicago Mayor He was not welcome at her son’s funeral. We both called him before 10pm and asked him to respect her wishes. This ended at 10:35pm. pic.twitter.com/yN3pSGlKvK
— Susana A. Mendoza ☮️ (@susanamendoza10) April 29, 2024
“It is never too late to honor his mother’s legacy and honor the fallen officer of Huesca,” said a press release from the mayor’s office. Huesca was still present at the funeral at 10:35 p.m. the night before the funeral. He said it was planned. To be held.
It is not too late to honor the fallen officer Huesca by honoring his mother’s wishes. 🙏🏻
— Susana A. Mendoza ☮️ (@susanamendoza10) April 29, 2024
Johnson’s office evacuated shortly before 9 a.m. Monday, the time the church service was to begin in Huesca.
“We continue to extend our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of Officer Luis Huesca as they recover from the loss of their beloved son, nephew, brother, and friend,” the mayor said in a statement.
“As Mayor, I pledge to continue to support our police and first responders, unite our city, and work with you to build a better, stronger, and safer Chicago.”
Just in: @Chicago Mayor Announcement of non-participation @ChicagoPolice Officer Luis Huesca’s funeral. @WGNNews pic.twitter.com/fQBemIDGIo
— Andrea Medina (@AndreaMedinaTV) April 29, 2024
WGN News’ Courtney Spinelli also reported that Andrea Kersten, chief administrator of the Civilian Police Accountability Office (COPA), was asked to leave after showing up at the vigil in Huesca.
Neither plan is clear. IL Comptroller Susana Mendoza also attended the meeting and reportedly called the mayor directly to express her family’s wishes.
A source also confirmed to me that COPA’s Andrea Kersten appeared at today’s meeting and was asked to leave.
— Courtney Spinelli (@CourtSpinelliTV) April 29, 2024
