A judge on Friday denied pretrial release to a man charged with murder in the fatal shooting of an off-duty Chicago police officer last month.
Xavier Tate Jr., 22, is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated vehicle hijacking and possession of a stolen firearm in connection with the April 21 killing of Officer Luis Huesca, 30. Prosecutors say he was shot 10 times.
Chicago Police Detective Chief Antoinette Ursitti said at a news conference Friday that investigators were able to identify Tate Jr. in part because of video evidence collected from more than 90 locations after Huesca’s death.
Chicago police arrest suspect in murder of off-duty police officer on his way home from work
Xavier L. Tate Jr., 22, is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated vehicular hijacking and possession of a stolen firearm in the shooting death of Chicago police officer Luis Huesca. (Chicago Police Department)
Video from the shooting scene led detectives to a store where Tate had purchased a bottle of water using a relative’s bank card, Ursitti said.
When police found Huesca’s stolen car after the shooting, they found water that Tate had bought and the clothing he was said to have been wearing at the time of the shooting.
“The despicable nature of this crime and its devastating impact on our family and community demands an uncompromising pursuit of justice,” Huesca’s family said in a statement. “While no measure of justice can bring Officer Huesca back or fully heal our hearts, we take solace in his enduring legacy of service and courage.”
Off-duty Chicago police officer shot and killed on his way home from work: ‘Another sad day’
Chicago police officer Luis Huesca was murdered on April 21, just two days shy of his 31st birthday. (X/@ChicagoCAPS11)
Tate was taken into custody by Chicago police and the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force on Wednesday night after a Cook County judge issued a warrant for his arrest last week.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Huesca was shot multiple times just before 3 a.m. on April 21 as he drove home from work on Chicago’s Southwest Side. Superintendent Larry Snelling previously said he was in uniform but had another piece of clothing on top to cover it, which is customary for off-duty police officers.
He was taken to a hospital, where he was confirmed dead.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
