A whole lot of mourners lined up exterior an Oak Garden funeral dwelling Sunday to pay their respects to fallen Chicago police Officer Enrique Martínez, who was killed within the line of obligation earlier this month.
Because the solar set and its final rays pierced the clouds, and temperatures dropped within the early night, the trickle of individuals heading into the wake remained fixed.
Near the primary entrance of the Blake-Lamb Funeral Residence, some crouched to pet and hug a remedy canine — a St. Bernard — additionally in attendance as a part of the Chicago Police Division’s worker help program, which supplies psychological well being help. All through the afternoon, volunteers with the Salvation Military approached folks in line to supply them sizzling cocoa and bottled water throughout their wait.
Martínez, a 26-year-old who had been within the power lower than three years, was fatally shot on Nov. 4 whereas he performed a visitors cease within the Chatham neighborhood on town’s South Aspect. Darion C. McMillian, 23, of Harvey, has been charged with first-degree homicide of an officer and first-degree homicide, amongst different felonies, and can stay detained till trial.
In entrance of the funeral dwelling, three bushes had misplaced their leaves because the final time law enforcement officials, family members and civilian supporters lined up exterior: Solely seven months in the past, Officer Luis Huesca was mourned there after being shot and killed whereas returning dwelling from work earlier this yr.
“Individuals have requested me: Why will we hold coming again right here? Why are we again right here, doing the identical factor, again and again?” former Chicago police Chief of Detectives Eugene Roy informed reporters Sunday.
He stated town has been affected by a full-blown illness: “This most cancers that I speak about is a blatant disrespect for the establishments which have made this metropolis, this county, this state and this nation nice.”
“We have to make our streets secure for everyone,” Roy added. “When it’s not secure for law enforcement officials — whether or not it’s an on-duty officer in full uniform or an officer going to name on the finish of his shift — it says quite a bit about Chicago.”
After comforting the household inside, Dave Gier ready to go away on his motorbike.
“We don’t know them, however we owe them,” stated Gier, senior experience captain within the Northeast Illinois area of the Illinois Patriot Guard Riders, whose volunteer members attend first responder memorial companies. He wore a leather-based vest with patches and pins commemorating each funeral and wake he has attended since 2008.
He tapped a set of quick black and blue elastics with four-digit badge numbers that he had affixed to his vest — mourning bands for CPD officers. Those towards the highest have been light. On the backside was one of many many being handed out to officers Sunday afternoon. On it was etched Martínez’s badge quantity: 8314.
The toughest half each time, he stated, is noticing that the dad and mom of slain law enforcement officials are solely getting youthful.
“It’s by no means simple, but it surely’s at all times an honor,” Gier stated. “And we’ll honor them in any method we are able to.”
After 30-year-old Huesca, Martínez marks the second and newest police officer to be killed this yr. Final yr in Could, Officer Aréanah Preston, 25, was additionally fatally shot and killed as she returned from a late-night shift. A month earlier, 32-year-old Officer Andrés Vásquez Lasso was killed within the line of obligation.
Martínez’s killing has shined a highlight on political tensions and public questions of safety. On Saturday, Mayor Brandon Johnson introduced he wouldn’t be attending the funeral after the officer’s household requested he keep away; an analogous state of affairs unfolded when Officer Huesca’s kinfolk requested Johnson to not attend his memorial companies.
The progressive mayor has confronted criticism over regulation enforcement points and regularly butted heads with John Catanzara, president of the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7.
“As of late and these speeches have gotten far too frequent, to say the least,” Catanzara informed reporters Sunday. “They will speak all they need about decreasing crime stats, however I don’t assume there’s a single soul in Chicago that feels any extra secure now.”
After an obvious jab at Jonhson, he swiftly modified the subject.
“I actually would like to not speak an excessive amount of in regards to the drama that led as much as today,” he stated, “as a result of that is about Enrique, his household and his brothers and sisters in blue, particularly. I simply need to spotlight his service to this metropolis. Yet one more younger officer misplaced far too quickly who was attempting to do proper by this metropolis and his residents.”
Martínez’s household additionally reportedly requested Gov. JB Pritzker to not present as much as any companies. Exterior the funeral dwelling, Roy known as on Pritzker to rethink the effectiveness of Illinois’ historic, sweeping bail reform regulation that took impact final yr, citing prosecutors who’ve stated the alleged shooter had been carrying a court-sanctioned ankle monitor tied to pending drug costs, which he eliminated shortly after the visitors cease when he shot Martínez.
Some critics say digital monitoring permits violent criminals to return to their communities, whereas others say it’s an oversimplification to assert the measure is driving gun violence in Chicago.
“I hope that the governor will take a while this week to replicate on this tragedy … and say: ‘The Protected-T Act was well-intentioned, but it surely’s not understanding. Let’s repair it,’” Roy stated.
adperez@chicagotribune.com
