THREE suspects are in custody over the shooting death of a Chicago cop who had given birth just two months ago.
Cop Ella French, 29, was killed and a male colleague was in a critical condition Sunday morning following a traffic stop.
French had just returned to work following maternity leave after giving birth to a baby daughter.
She had joined the force in 2018.
Officers from Chicago’s Community Safety Team carried out the traffic stop at around 9pm Saturday near 63 and Bell in West Englewood.
The car was carrying three people, two men and a woman.
During the stop, someone from inside the vehicle opened fire on the police, with the cops returning fire.
One of the people in the car was wounded during the exchange of fire.
The two men who were in the car were taken into custody Saturday night, according to the police, including the one who was shot and taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in a serious condition.
THREE PEOPLE BEING QUESTIONED
The female suspect was arrested Sunday morning, according to Chicago Police Department Supt David Brown.
Brown said CPD “preliminarily” believes the male passenger who was hospitalized was the one who fired on officers.
All three suspects were still being interviewed Sunday morning.
The suspect who police believe fired the gun has “a criminal background for robbery,” Brown said, but added none of the offenders has an extensive criminal background.
Cops did not state the reason for the traffic stop, saying more information would be revealed during the investigation.
Brown added that much of the incident was caught on body camera video, but that the video cannot be released yet.
“Despite the shock, grief, pain and sorrow we feel this morning, our brothers and sisters in blue put the uniform on each and every day. They go to work risking everything to serve the people of Chicago,” Brown said. “They’re willing to sacrifice their lives to save the lives of perfect strangers.”
"This evening, Chicago mourns the loss of one of its bravest and finest.
"And we have another officer who is struggling and fighting for his very life," Chicago police first dep supt Eric Carter said.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability will hold an investigation.
DAY OF MOURNING
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot declared a day of mourning and called for all flags to be flown at half staff.
Lightfoot said: “The officer who succumbed to her injuries was very young on the job, but incredibly enthusiastic to do the work.
“This is a very tragic and sad day for our city, and pray for officers the men and women of this department.
“They deserve our prayers every single day that they can return home safely to their families, unfortunately that didn't happen tonight.”
Dozens of officers arrived outside the University of Chicago Medical Center to pay their respects to French and her injured colleague.
Cops also took part in a procession for French which drove past the Cook County Medical Examiners Office on Sunday.
So far in 2021, 38 CPD officers have been shot or shot at.
Eleven of those officers were struck, and this officer is the first to die this year.
In 2020 79 officers were shot at or shot. Brown said this year’s number is a 500 per cent increase of officers shot at or shot compared with 2019.
November 2018 saw the last fatal shooting of a Chicago officer, Samuel Jimenez, 28.
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