On Friday, October 8, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Michael Pickering passed away from complications due to the COVID-19 virus. He is survived by his son and two daughters. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Pickering family and the Chicago Fire Department. To donate in memory of Firefighter...
On Saturday, August 7th, Chicago Police Officer Ella French was shot and killed while conducting a traffic stop. Our hearts are with the French family and the Chicago Police Department. Visit our Fallen Heroes page....
On Wednesday, August 4th, Brooklyn Police Officer Brian Pierce was struck and killed by a fleeing vehicle while attempting to deploy spike strips on the McKinley Bridge during a vehicle pursuit. He is survived by his parents and siblings. Our hearts are with the Pierce family and...
On Sunday, June 27th, Wabash Fire Protection District Firefighter Mehdi Mourad was killed in the line of duty after responding to a multiple vehicle accident, Firefighter Mehdi Mourad lost control of the vehicle he was driving and rear-ended another vehicle that was stopped on the...
On Wednesday, May 19th, Champaign Police Officer Chris Oberheim was shot and killed while responding to a domestic disturbance. He is survived by his wife and four children. Our hearts are with the Oberheim family and the Champaign Police Department. To donate in memory of Officer Oberheim, please...
On Friday, April 30th, Cook County Sheriff's Police Officer Allen Giacchetti passed away from complications due to the COVID-19 virus. He is survived by his wife and five children. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Giacchetti family and the Cook County Sheriff's Police. To donate in memory...
On Saturday, April 3rd, Hometown Police Lieutenant James Kouski was struck and killed by a vehicle while investigating a prior DUI-related crash. He is survived by his wife and son. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Kouski family and the Hometown Police Department. To donate...
On Thursday, March 25, Illinois State Police, District 10 Trooper Todd Hanneken passed away following a single-car traffic crash while on duty. He is survived by his wife and two children. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hanneken family and the Illinois State Police. To...
On Friday, March 12, Chicago Heights Police Officer Gary Hibbs passed away at the hospital following a cardiac episode while responding to a call. He is survived by his son and daughter. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hibbs family and the Chicago Heights Police...
On Thursday, December 17, Chicago Fire Department Paramedic Robert Truevillian passed away from complications due to the COVID-19 virus. He is survived by his wife and 4 children. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Truevillian family and the Chicago Fire Department. To donate in memory...
Captain Leo Werner was someone who represented the best in Scales Mound. Leo was a man who showed respect and responsibility to his country, family, friends, and community. After serving two years with the U.S. Army and several years with the National Guard of Illinois,...
On Thursday, December 10, 2020, Momence Police Department Officer Troy Jacobson suffered a medical emergency and subsequently passed while on duty. He is survived by his wife and three young children. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Jacobson family and the Momence Police Department. To donate...
On Monday, December 7, 2020, Calumet City Police Department Officer Adam Zieminski passed away while on duty due to a medical emergency. He is survived by his twin 19-year-old daughters. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Zieminski family and the Calumet City Police Department. To...
Police Officer Titus Moore died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 during a presumed exposure while on duty. He passed away on November 24, 2020. Officer Moore had served with the Chicago Police Department for 14 years and was assigned to the 3rd District....
On Tuesday, October 20, 2020, Cook County Sheriff’s Department Officer Richard Santiago passed away due to complications from COVID-19. He is survived by his fiancé and son. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Santiago family and the Cook County Sheriff's Department. To donate in memory of...
On Wednesday, July 1, Cook County Sheriff's Deputy Juan Du Fauchard fell ill while on duty and later passed away at the hospital. He is survived by his two sons. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Du Fauchard family and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. To donate in memory of...
On Sunday, June 28, Cook County Corrections Officer Jose Marquez passed away from complications due to the COVID-19 virus. He served on the department for 16 years. He is survived by his wife and five children. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Marquez family and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. To donate in memory of...
On Sunday, May 10, Cook County Corrections Officer Antoine Jones passed away from complications due to the COVID-19 virus. He served on the department for 18 years. He is survived by his wife and five children. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Jones family and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. To donate in memory of...
On Sunday, May 3, Cook County Sheriff's Deputy Richard O'Brien passed away from complications due to the COVID-19 virus. He was a 25-year veteran of the Department. He is survived by his wife and three children. Our thoughts and prayers are with the O'Brien family and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office. To donate in memory...
Deputy Sheriff Richard O'Brien died after contracting COVID-19 during an outbreak among inmates and correctional staff at the Cook County Jail at 2650 S. California Avenue in Chicago. Deputy O'Brien had served with the Cook County Sheriff's Office - Department of Court Services for 25 years...
Robert “David” Reisinger was a RN (trauma/emergency medicine/critical care), EMT-P, a firefighter, and an EMS manager/educator for John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County and the Chicago EMS System. He also worked part-time at the River Grove Fire Department in Illinois. His career was...
On Friday, April 24, 2020, Officer Joseph Cappello, III passed away from complications due to the COVID-19 virus. He is survived by his wife and son. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Cappello family and the Melrose Park Police Department. To donate in memory of Officer Joe Cappello, please visit our Fallen Heroes Donation page. ...
On Sunday, April 19, Cook County Corrections Officer Sheila Rivera passed away from complications due to the COVID-19 virus. She served on the department for eight years. She is survived by her husband and son. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Rivera family and the Cook County Sheriff's Office. To donate in memory of Corrections Officer Rivera,...
On Friday, April 17, Chicago Police Officer Ronald Newman passed away from complications due to the COVID-19 virus. He is survived by his wife and two children. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Newman family and the Chicago Police Department. To donate in memory of...
On Tuesday, April 14, Chicago Firefighter Edward Singleton passed away from complications due to the COVID-19 virus. He is survived by his wife and two children. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Singleton family and the Chicago Fire Department. To donate in memory of Firefighter Singleton,...
On April 11, 2020 Chief of Police for the Hampton Police Department passed away....
On Friday, April 10, Chicago Police Sergeant Clifford Martin passed away from complications due to the COVID-19 virus. He served on the department for 25 years. He is survived by his wife and three children. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Martin family and the Chicago Police Department. To donate...
On Thursday, April 2, Chicago Police Officer Marco Di Franco passed away from complications due to the COVID-19 virus. He served on the department for 21 years. He is survived by his wife and two children. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Di Franco family and the Chicago Police...
Trooper Nicholas John Hopkins passed away on August 23, 2019....
On June 25, 2019 Deputy Sheriff Troy Phillip Chisum of the Fulton County Sheriff's Office passed away....
On Wednesday, June 5, 2019, Cook County Sheriff Correctional Officer Robert Edwards suffered a medical emergency at the jail. His fellow officers, as well as members of the Chicago Fire Department, rendered aid to him, but he tragically passed away at the hospital. Officer Edwards...
Kody Vanfossan died doing what he loved while battling a six-alarm commercial fire in Christopher, Illinois. Christopher Engine 201 was the first on scene, with a report of a squatter possibly being in the building. Kody and his father, a CFD captain, did a primary...
On March 30th, 2019, at approximately 3:25 a.m., Illinois State Police Trooper Gerald Ellis was on-duty in his squad car traveling home on I-94 westbound near Green Oaks, when a wrong-way driver struck him head on. Trooper Ellis was transported to a local area hospital,...
On March 28th, 2019 Tropper Brooke Elizabeth Jones-Story of the Illinois State Police passed away....
In an effort to extend our resources where needed and honor our fallen heroes, the 100 Club of Chicago will now also provide benefits to the families of fallen first responders in McHenry County. The 100 Club of Chicago will be providing benefits for the family...
Jacob L. Ringering lost his life in the line of duty on March 5, 2019. Jake and his crew responded to a working residential structure fire. While performing exterior fire suppression activities, he sustained fatal injuries in a partial structural collapse. Born December 14, 1981, Jake...
On Saturday, January 12, Trooper Christopher Lambert was struck and killed by a vehicle while investigating the scene of a prior crash on I-294 near Willow Road in Northbrook. He was en route home when he encountered the three-vehicle crash on the left shoulder and stopped...
On Monday, December 17, 2018, Officer Eduardo Marmolejo and Officer Conrad Gary were struck and killed by a Metra commuter train while investigating a shots fired call in the area of 103rd Street and Dauphin Avenue at 6:20 pm. They were investigating the sounds of gunfire...
On Monday, December 17, 2018, Officer Conrad Gary and Officer Eduardo Marmolejo were struck and killed by a Metra commuter train while investigating a shots fired call in the area of 103rd Street and Dauphin Avenue at 6:20 pm. They were investigating the sounds of gunfire...
On Monday, November 19, 2018, Police Officer Samuel Jimenez was shot and killed after responding to a domestic disturbance outside of Mercy Hospital at 2525 South Michigan Avenue. As officers arrived on the scene the male subject fatally shot his ex-fiancee, who was a doctor at...
On Monday, September 10, 2018, Burnham Police Officer Blair King (53) suffered a fatal heart attack while on duty. He was rushed to St. Margaret’s hospital where he eventually passed on Wednesday, September 12. He is survived by his wife. To make a donation in honor...
The 100 Club of Chicago extends its condolences to the family of Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Juan Bucio. On Monday, May 28, 2018, Firefighter Juan Bucio answered a call when boaters saw a person jump into the Chicago River. During the search attempt, Firefighter Bucio became...
On Tuesday, February 13, 2018, Commander Paul Bauer was at the building in the 100 block of West Randolph Street in Chicago's Loop when he saw a man who matched the description of an offender wanted by tactical officers in the area. A confrontation occurred,...
On November 5th, 2017 Patrol Officer Jaimie Joseph Alan Cox passed away....
On the evening of January 7, 1997 while assigned to the 008th District, Officer Van Vegten and his partner responded to a “shots fired” call at 43rd and Latrobe Avenue near the LeClaire Courts public housing development. En route to the scene, the officers spotted...
On October 14th, 2017 Correctional Officer Kevin J. Brewer of the Will County Sheriff's Office passed away....
On September 5, 2017 Police Officer Bernard W. Domagala of the Chicago Police Department passed away....
Tuesday September 5, 2017, Officer Domagala succumbed to complications from a gunshot wound inflicted in the line of duty on July 14, 1988. Officer Domagala is survived by his wife and three sons. While on duty as a member of the Hostage, Barricade, and Terrorist Unit...
On June 28, 2017 Trooper First Class Ryan Matthew Albin of the Illinois State Police passed away....
Lawrence Matthews died in the line of duty on Saturday, June 10, 2017 after collapsing while assisting during a fire at a mobile home park in Harvey. Firefighter Matthews had served on the Dolton Fire Department since 2009, and is survived by his wife and four children....
On January 19, 2017 Police Officer Raymond Anthony Murrell of the Bloomingdale Police Department passed away....
John Michael “Mike” Cummins was born on September 15, 1970, in Danville, Illinois, to John and Cindy (Dudley) Cummins. He had one sister, Molly Carter. Mike married Cindy Cummins on June 21, 2003, in Hindsboro. They have three children, Angela (Derrick) Hall, Jacob (Rachel) Sanders,...
Police Officer James Brockmeyer was killed in a vehicle crash while pursuing a vehicle. Officer Brockmeyer had served with the Chester Police Department for only 10 months. He is survived by his parents and sister. ...
Jason Gallero died in the line of duty on Thursday, September 15, 2016 after collapsing while participating in a colors run at the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Training Academy, where he served as a highly respected instructor to recruits of the Cook County Sheriff’s office and...
Captain Eric T. Kohlbauer of the Freeport Rural Fire Department passed away on July 12, 2016. His wife and two sons survive him....
Police Officer Scot Fitzgerald was killed when his patrol car and an ambulance collided while en route to a call. Officer Fitzgerald had served with the South Jacksonville Police Department for 17 months. He is survived by his wife and two children....
Correctional Officer Adam Conrad of the Marion County Sheriff's Office was killed in a vehicle crash on January 20, 2016. He is survived by his parents and brother....
Oak Park Firefighter Kenneth K. Harris died, at the age of 56, Monday January 11th just hours after finishing his 24-hour shift and working another six hours of fire prevention work. Firefighter Harris was a 28-year veteran of the Oak Park Fire Department. He is survived...
Dan Capuano, 42, was battling a warehouse fire on 92nd and Baltimore when he fell through an elevator shaft. Firefighter Capuano had served with the Chicago Fire Department for 15 years and the Evergreen Park Fire Department before then. He is survived by his wife and...
Mark Zielinski, 49, was “rendering emergency medical aid” to a shopper who needed CPR at the Walmart at 21410 S. Cicero Ave. in Matteson when he died, according to Matteson Fire Chief Chris Schwalbe and the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Firefighter Zielinski had served with the Matteson Fire Department...
Deputy Sheriff Dwight Maness of the McHenry County Sheriff's Office succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained 11 months earlier. Deputy Maness was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the McHenry County Sheriff's Office for seven years. He is survived by his wife, two sons,...
Deputy Sheriff Craig Whisenand of the Tazewell County Sheriff's Office was killed in a single vehicle crash. He is survived by his wife, two sons, daughter, parents, and sister....
Patrolman George Nissen succumbed to injuries sustained 10 years earlier when he was assaulted while attempting to break up a large fight on February 13th, 2005. He is survived by his daughter and four brothers. One of his brothers served with the Northlake Police Department....
Chief Kenneth J. Lehr Sr. of the Medora Community Fire Protection District passed away on February 5, 2015. He is survived by his wife, son, and three grandchildren....
Police Officer Owen Masterton suffered a fatal heart attack after responding to numerous calls for service, including to a dispute call, during his shift the previous night. He is survived by his son....
Officer Jim Morrissy, 63, of the 15000 block of Laramie Avenue in Oak Forest, was pronounced dead at 8:01 p.m. Monday, March 17, at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn. Morrissy was with the department for 34 years. He is survived by his wife...
Investigator Cuauhtemoc Estrada died on December 20th at the age of 50. Estrada was hosting a family party on the evening of the 20th when two armed men attempted to rob his daughter and her boyfriend in the adjacent parking lot. Estrada was fatally shot...
Police Officer Casey Kohlmeier and his canine, Draco, were killed when their patrol car was struck by a drunk driver. He is survived by his mother, father, step-father, step-mother, and four siblings....
Trooper James Sauter was killed when a semi-trailer truck struck his cruiser on Interstate 294 south of Willow Road shortly after 11:00 p.m. The trooper was stopped in the left shoulder of the south-bound lanes when the semi rear-ended his cruiser, causing both vehicles to burst...
Firefighter Christopher Reed Brown of the Hudson Community Fire Protection District passed away on March 5, 2013. He is survived by his wife and three children....
Timothy Jansen died December 2‚ 2012‚ when he was struck by a fire truck while unloading hose at the scene of a structure fire. He was born February 3‚ 1967‚ in Breese‚ to Marjorie and the late Paul Jansen‚ and was one of six siblings. Tim was...
Trooper Kyle Deatherage was struck and killed by a tractor trailer while making a traffic stop. He is survived by his wife, 4-year-old daughter, 10-month-old son, father, mother, sister, and two brothers....
Walter Patmon Jr. was born February 17, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois. On Sunday, November 11, 2012, Firefighter Walter Patmon, 61, had a heart attack at his South Side fire station when he returned from a call. During the day, Firefighter Patmon and his ladder company responded...
On November 2, 2012, Captain Herbert Johnson of the Chicago Fire Department died in the line of duty while fighting a residential fire in Chicago. At 5:15PM, Johnson was dispatched to a residential apartment fire in the 2300 block of West 50th Place with Engine 123...
Firefighter Fidel G. Serrano Jr, of the Chicago Fire Department, passed away on August 26, 2012....
Correctional Officer Nikkii Bostic-Jones was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver on California Avenue while walking from the sheriff's office parking lot to the maximum security wing of the county jail just before 11:00 pm. As she crossed the street she was struck by a...
Police Officer Clifton Lewis was shot and killed while attempting to take action during a robbery at a grocery store on North Austin Boulevard. He was working an overtime security detail at the store, which had been robbed several weeks earlier, when two male subjects entered...
Firefighter Corey Ray Shaw passed away on June 17, 2011. He was on the Du Quoin Fire Department and his father is chief. He is survived by his wife and two children....
Officer Paul Nauden suffered a fatal heart attack while conducting an undercover narcotics buy as part of a large narcotics investigation. While on scene he informed other undercover officers that he did not feel well and could not complete the transaction. He left the scene in...
Daniel ‘Double D’ Dare suffered a fatal heart attack after responding to a late night EMS call for a sick child during a blizzard. Dan is survived by his wife‚ Kathy; his daughter‚ Michelle Karisa Dare; his son‚ Eric Daniel Dare; his parents‚ Bernard and...
On January 15, 2011, Chicago Lieutenant Patrick Hannon was found unresponsive at his firehouse and later died in the hospital due to natural causes. Hannon, 51, was working at Truck 8 at 2528 S. Throop Street at the time (4th District, 15th Battalion). Lt. Patrick B....
Corey D. Ankum was the youngest of four children born to Johnnie and Marie Ankum, on September 26, 1976, in Chicago. He graduated from Charles H. Wacker Elementary School in 1990 and attended Thornton Fractional High School, graduating in 1994. In high school, Corey developed...
Officer Michael Flisk was shot and killed while processing the scene of a vehicle burglary inside an alley garage at 1:30 pm in the 8100 block of South Burnham Avenue. The burglary victim, a retired Chicago Housing Authority police officer, former Robbins police officer and US...
Officer Michael Bailey was shot and killed while attempting to take action in an attempted armed robbery in front of his South Side home at approximately 6:20 am. Officer Bailey had just returned home from his shift on a mayoral protection detail, and was still in...
Officer Thor Soderberg was shot and killed in an apparent robbery attempt at about 3:45 pm near 61st Street and Racine Avenue. Officer Soderberg was returning to his vehicle at the end of his shift when he struggled with a male subject who approached from behind...
Sergeant Alan Haymaker was killed in an automobile accident while responding to a burglary-in-progress call shortly before 5:15 am. His patrol car hit a patch of ice on the roadway, jumped the curb and struck a light pole, then a tree, while traveling southbound on...
Police Officer Alejandro “Alex” Valadez, 27, was a 3-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the 007 District. Shortly after midnight, on June 1, 2009, Officer Valadez and his partner, Officer Thomas Vargas, responded to a shots fired call. When the officers arrived at...
Officer Frank Russo suffered a fatal heart attack while struggling with a suspect following a brief foot pursuit. Officer Russo and another officer, while working an off-duty assignment, were attempting to arrest a man who was causing a disturbance at a local club. The suspect and...
Officer Nathaniel Taylor, Jr. was shot and killed as he and several other officers served a search warrant at a home near 79th and Clyde streets. While the officers were on the scene, the target of the warrant arrived at the location. As officers approached to...
Officer Richard Francis was shot and killed with his service weapon when he struggled with a woman who grabbed his gun and shot him once. The officer was on routine patrol when he responded to a disturbance around 2 a.m. and approached a woman near the...
On March 22, 2008 Deputy Chief Lee Grubor passed away from a heart attack shortly after his shift with Lewistown Fire Protection District....
On February 12, 2008 Troy Fire Protection District Chief Kerry R. Sheridan passed away while on duty. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, two grandchildren, brother, and several nieces and nephews....
Firefighter William Grant, 44, a 20 year veteran of the Chicago Fire Department, died Friday March 23, 2007. William was riding in the rear cab of Ladder 51, responding with lights and siren to a fire call in the south side neighborhood of Englewood, when...
On February 2, 2007 Verennes Fire Department Firefighter Michael L. Fox passed away from a a heart attack while on the way to a call. He is survived by his children and wife....
Officer Thomas Wood was shot several times as he sat in his department vehicle on the intersection of Erie Street and 6th Avenue at approximately 11:00 pm. Officer Wood's canine partner was not wounded in the shooting. He was transported to Loyola University Medical Center where...
Police Officer Thomas A. Cook was shot and killed while sitting in his patrol car across the street from the Metra Electric Line station at 147th and Clinton Streets in Harvey, Illinois. He was conducting surveillance on the station, which had seen a recent surge in...
Officer Steven Zourkas was killed in an automobile accident at the intersection of Golf Road and Western Avenue while en route to a call at approximately 04:00 am. Officer Zourkas was responding to a disturbance call at a restaurant when he lost control of his squad...
On November 14, 2004, Firefighter Patrick Cramer was on duty for the Chicago Fire Department, working overtime at Truck Company 16. He reported for duty at 10AM. During the next ten hours, Truck 16 responded to four alarms. These alarms consisted of one still alarm,...
Officer Michael Gordon was killed when the squad car he was riding in was struck by a vehicle being operated by an intoxicated driver. Officer Gordon and his partner were on patrol as they approached the intersection of Jackson Boulevard and Sacramento Avenue. When they entered...
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Terrance P. Loftus was killed on May 28, 2004, when the plane he was piloting crashed shortly after take off from Midway International Airport in Chicago, Illinois. Agent Loftus was providing air support to the Kansas City District Office...
On April 27, 2004, Jeffrey Bergstrom, a part-time firefighter for the Stone Park Fire Department, was killed in a collision between two fire apparatus while responding to a fire in a neighboring township. Shortly after 5:30 pm, an alarm was raised for a garage fire...
On April 18, 2004 Kevin McIntyre of the Rockford Fire Department after being struck by a fire truck. He left behind two children....
Detective William Rolniak was shot and killed execution style after being taken hostage inside the Riverdale police station. The suspect had been in custody on charges of attempted murder, home invasion and aggravated kidnapping after breaking into a home and abducting his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint nine...
Sergeant Philip J. O'Reilly was killed in an automobile accident while on patrol. His patrol car was struck by a tow truck at the intersection of Granville Avenue and Western Avenue. The collision occurred at approximately 4:30 a.m.; Sergeant O'Reilly was ejected from his squad car....
Officer Eric DeWit was killed in an automobile accident while he and his partner were on patrol at 3:25 am. A vehicle had turned in front of their patrol car at the intersection of Sauk Trail and Kostner Avenue, in Richton Park, causing Officer DeWit to...
Officer Benjamin Perez was struck and killed by a commuter train while conducting a stakeout on the west side. Officer Perez and his partner were on a railroad trestle above Spaulding Avenue when a train approached. Officer Perez's partner was able to jump to safety, but...
Officer Steven Graham suffered a fatal heart attack while attempting to arrest a man in Inverness during a call. Officer Graham had responded to the man's home on Bradwell Road when the suspect began struggling with him. While attempting to arrest the suspect, Officer Graham collapsed....
Officer Donald Joseph Marquez was shot and killed as he was serving court papers at the Logan Square apartments. A 77-year-old resident opened fire with two .22 caliber handguns. Officer Marquez was struck several times; He succumbed to his wounds at the hospital. The assailant was shot...
Detective Alvin Perez was killed in an automobile accident while he and his partner transported a murder suspect back to the police station for questioning. Detective Perez was driving a 1999 Ford Taurus when it struck a concrete barrier on an off ramp from the Eisenhower...
On October 13, 2001 Channahon Fire Protection District Firefighter Kenneth J. Frayne passed away. He is survived by his wife, parents, and siblings....
Sgt. Hector Silva tragically died while participating in a special operations training exercise. Sergeant Silva was taking part in a training exercise where he was required to sprint up two flights of stairs, then run 100 yards while carrying 55 pounds of sandbags. After returning to...
Lieutenant Robert Augustyn, 57, a 33 year veteran with the Cicero Fire Department died Friday, September 7, 2001. Robert's engine company was returning from a minor motor vehicle accident on the Laramie Avenue bridge Thursday afternoon. He was spotting the apparatus for the driver with another...
Officer Eric D. Lee was shot and killed as he and two other tactical officers attempted to aid a citizen. Officer Lee and his partners were on a special patrol in the Englewood neighborhood when they spotted a man being beaten in an alley. They rushed...
Western Springs Fire Department suffered its only-ever loss of a firefighter when Willard Christoffer fell 65 feet in a training exercise, leaving behind his wife Lucy and their two children, Charlie and Alyssa. Firefighter Christoffer was engaged in a regularly scheduled training night. He was involved...
Saturday morning. On December 23, 2000, Lieutenant Scott P. Gillen of the Chicago Fire Department was on duty with Truck 27. At 2:38 AM, Truck 27 was dispatched to assist Ambulance 37 at an accident at 11400 South Bishop Ford Expressway. Upon arrival, Truck 27...
On October 1, 2000, Captain Thomas G. Gotkowski of the Tinley Park Volunteer Fire Department suffered a fatal heart attack in the line of duty. Captain Gotkowski and his engine company were assisting the police department with the ventilation of a condominium. Gotkowski became ill while...
On April 29, 2000, Chicago Fire Department Lieutenant L.C. Merrell was on duty with Truck 24, his regular assignment. Truck 24, along with the 21st Battalion, responded to a residential fire on W. 110th Street. After extinguishing the fire at 11:46AM, Truck 24 and the...
On August 24, 1999, Police Officer Myles M. Smetana and his partner responded to a disturbance call involving a mental patient. After quelling the disturbance, Officer Smetana suddenly sustained a rush of illness, weakness and dizziness. He was transported to a hospital where he lapsed...
On May 4, 1999, Chief Arthur “Bucky” Tullis of the La Grange Park Fire Department died in the line of duty while responding to an automatic fire alarm at the Bethlehem Woods Retirement Center. Tullis arrived on the scene at around 3:30PM, four minutes after...
Officer James Henry Camp was shot and killed after stopping a stolen vehicle. During the stop Officer Camp, who was in plainclothes, asked the driver to exit the vehicle. Once he was out of the vehicle, a struggle ensued and the offender gained control of...
Officer John C. Knight was shot and killed as he and his partner were investigating two suspicious individuals in a parked vehicle. Both officers noticed the vehicle with a popped trunk and two occupants slumped over on the inside. As they approached the vehicle, the...
On July 23, 1998, Captain Thomas E. Prendergast of the Chicago Fire Department was on duty working his regular assignment with Engine 78. It was an ordinary work day, and Engine 78 responded to only three alarms prior to 10:00 PM. At approximately 9:53 PM,...
On May 19, 1998, Firefighter Eugene W. Blackmon, Jr., of the Chicago Fire Department was on duty working at his regular assignment with Squad 5. At approximately 12:41 PM, Squad 5 was dispatched by the Englewood Fire Alarm Office to an apparent drowning incident in...
On February 25, 1998, Battalion Chief William E. Bonnar, Sr., of the Orland Fire Protection District suffered a fatal heart attack in the line of duty following a training exercise. Bonnar joined four other firefighters for an annual consumption test that measured how much air each...
On February 11, 1998, at 10:24 PM, the Chicago Fire Department received a call from the occupant of a private residence at the rear of a commercial tire service center, stating there was a fire in the interior of the building. Above the parts room...
On February 11, 1998, at 10:24 PM, the Chicago Fire Department received a call from the occupant of a private residence at the rear of a commercial tire service center, stating there was a fire in the interior of the building. Above the parts room...
Police Officer Richard R. Schott died after suffering a fatal heart attack while struggling with a prisoner. Officer Schott was working as a detention officer in the Deering District lockup when one of the prisoners became violent and Officer Schott attempted to subdue him. The prisoner...
Trooper Erin Hehl was killed when the helicopter she was in crashed during a training exercise. Sergeant Hehl was flying with a contractor pilot at suburban Frankfort Airport in Illinois State Police helicopter AirOne. They were practicing touch-and-go landings when one of the skids of...
Sergeant Anthony Millison was killed when he fell from the Thornton-Blue Island Overpass on I-57, in Dixmoor, while assisting at the scene of an accident. The overpass was extremely icy due to inclement weather. He was responding to another accident on the overpass when his vehicle...
Officer Sean Laura was killed when he was struck by a vehicle during a foot chase of a suspect. Officer Laura was struck by a police vehicle from a neighboring jurisdiction at 7:20 pm. He had stopped a car for a traffic offense and the driver...
Officer Gregory Ivan Young was shot and killed during a robbery attempt. Officer Young was seated in his car when he was approached by two assailants who attempted to rob him. He identified himself as a police officer and was then engaged in a gunfight....
Officer David C. Evans responded to a call of "police officers requiring assistance". As Officer Evans proceeded to the scene, three pedestrians ran onto the overpass in front of their cruiser. The cruiser swerved to avoid hitting the pedestrians and crashed through the barrier of...
Sgt. Michael Garner, 48, a narcotics officer with the Chicago Police Department who had served for 20 years, died Saturday. Sgt. Garner, who had held that rank for nine years, was shot in West Englewood while off-duty. He was a dedicated police officer who was...
On Friday, June 20, 1997, at approximately 3 PM, Firefighters Michael Drobitsch and John Ewald of the Chicago Fire Department were participating in a dive training exercise in the lagoon directly in the rear of the firehouse at Meigs Field. Proper diving equipment was being...
On May 12, 1997, Lieutenant Lawrence Hobson of the Robbins Fire Department suffered a fatal heart attack in the line of duty while fighting a fire at a vacant property. Hobson collapsed while pulling a hoseline, and died four days later....
Officer Dell Fountain was alerted to a disturbance in an upstairs apartment that was being used for narcotics activity. According to trial testimony, Fountain followed when Murray fled into the upstairs apartment, and he was fatally shot after the defendant grabbed for the police officer’s...
On September 26, Lieutenant Thomas O'Boyle of the Chicago Fire Department suffered a fatal heart attack at a fire in a furniture warehouse. Lieutenant O'Boyle, had just exited the structure after checking on the progress of firefighters inside when he collapsed. Lt. Thomas O'Boyle, 55, the...
Trooper Chong Soo Lim was killed when his patrol car was struck from behind as he a traffic stop on the Northwest Tollway. His squad car was rear-ended and burst into flames. Trooper Lim stopped a car on I-90, near Hoffman Estates. He was sitting in...
On March 24, 1995, Engineer Donald J. Kaczka of Engine 28 of the Chicago Fire Department died in the line of duty while fighting a refuse fire on S. Laflin Avenue. At 8:15PM, Engine 28 received the alarm from the main fire alarm office and,...
Police Officer Daniel J. Doffyn was shot and killed when he surprised burglary suspects at an apartment complex. At 3:30 in the afternoon, Dan Doffyn and other officers were heading for their squad cars at the Austin District police station. They were about to begin their...
On November 23, 1993, Cadet Firefighter Steven McNamee of the Chicago Fire Department died in the line of duty during a training accident at the Chicago Fire Academy. Candidates had been taught the proper method for jumping from a building into an inflatable Life Cube...
Police Officer Gerald L. Wright was shot and killed on his way home from his shift. At about 11:30 p.m., at 934 West 79th Street, Officer Wright stopped into a store to visit the owners. When he went out to talk to a man standing outside...
Deputy Alfred Brown succumbed to injuries suffered five days earlier after being struck in the head as he was arresting a man for disorderly conduct in the Cook County 6th District Courthouse in Markham. During the arrest, the suspect began resisting and gave Deputy Brown a...
Officer John J. Lyons was killed when the squad car he was driving struck a tree. The accident occurred at 3:14 a.m. in the 3400 block of North Kimball. The squad car was northbound on Kimball responding to a radio assignment when it skidded and spun...
On July 29, 1992, Fire Lt. Luby, a 15-year veteran with the Oak Park Fire Department, died at West Suburban Hospital after fighting a basement fire at 544 N. Humphrey Ave. Luby, 43, was found at the stair bottom, dead from carbon monoxide intoxication and...
Deputy Marshal Roy Frakes and Special Deputy Marshal Harry Belluomini were shot and killed by a suspect who was attempting to escape from the federal courthouse in Chicago, Illinois. The suspect had removed his handcuffs with a smuggled key, assaulted a guard in the basement...
Special Deputy Marshal Harry Belluomini and Deputy Marshal Roy Frakes were shot and killed by a suspect who was attempting to escape from the federal courthouse in Chicago, Illinois. The suspect had removed his handcuffs with a smuggled key, assaulted a guard in the basement...
Officer Robert Perkins was shot and killed as he was questioning a burglary suspect. Officer Perkins observed an individual matching the description of a wanted burglar. As Officer Perkins questioned the suspect, the man resisted and a fierce struggle ensued. During the altercation, Officer Perkins suffered...
Officer Jimmie Haynes was shot by a sniper as he stood in the parking lot of a public housing complex. He was transported to Mercy Hospital and Nursing Center where he died of his wound the next day. Officer Haynes was survived by his wife, daughter, son,...
Officer Eddie N. Jones was shot and mortally wounded during a narcotics investigation. After Officer Jones and his partner made an arrest, the offender stated that he would lead the officers to his drug source. The informant, in the back seat of the police vehicle suddenly...
Officers Gregory A. Hauser and Raymond Kilroy were shot and mortally wounded when they responded to a domestic disturbance between a woman and her grandson. As they talked to the grandson in a garage, he suddenly grabbed one of the officers' weapons. The suspect then...
Officers Raymond Kilroy and Gregory A. Hauser were shot and mortally wounded when they responded to a domestic disturbance between a woman and her grandson. As they talked to the grandson in a garage, he suddenly grabbed one of the officers' weapons. The suspect then...
On December 9, 1989, Lieutenant Joseph Samec of the Pleasantview Fire Protection District died in the line of duty while fighting a house fire in Burr Ridge, Illinois. The fire was discovered shortly after 4:30 PM, and more than fifty firefighters from twelve different departments...
Patrolman Barry Shalin was struck and killed by a drunken driver while making a traffic stop. The suspect was arrested and convicted in connection with Patrolman Shalin's death. Patrolman Shalin had served with the Morton Grove Police Department for 19 years....
Police Officer William J. Luce, 45, was a 20-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the Special Operations Unit. During firearms testing, Officer Luce was exposed to radiation when a scope dismantled from a gun. The radiation caused severe burns to his body and...
On January 3, 1989, Firefighter Douglas Maicach of the South Holland Fire Department died in the line of duty while fighting a fire at the headquarters of a trucking company. Maicach had just arrived at the fire when a sixty-pound propane tank on a burning...
Officer Irma Ruiz was shot and killed confronting an armed offender in a school. A heavily armed gunman went on a shooting rampage, killing three people and wounding another. The assailant then entered an elementary school filled with children. Already in the school, Officer Irma Ruiz...
Officer John W. Mathews was attacked and killed by five assailants. Officer Mathews was returning home and was attacked and killed by five assailants while investigating a drinking and drag racing party. He was off duty when he noticed several squad cars down the street. He...
Correctional Officer Jeffery Blakey died as a result of an injury he suffered six weeks earlier while stopping an inmate from escaping a courthouse in Des Plaines. One of five prisoners tried to escape out of a fire exit during their transport to court. Correctional Officer...
Police Officer Lee Seward, 43, was a 16-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the 023 District. On December 30, 1987, Officer Seward and his partner, Patricia Cosgrove, responded for the second time to an apartment building in the 4000 block of North...
On October 5, 1987, Chicago Fire Department Captain Richard O’Connor of Engine 29 collapsed after climbing ten flights of stairs while responding to a false alarm in a multi-story Chicago Housing Authority project building. The building’s two elevators had been vandalized and were not in...
Officer Morrison was killed when his patrol car was broadsided by a drunk driver traveling at a high rate of speed. While working special employment for Public Housing North, Officer Morrison learned of a man with a shotgun in the area. Accompanied by other officers, Morrison...
The first Chicago firefighter to die this year while on duty was killed in a fire that police are blaming on a 4th of July rocket. Firefighter James E. Hill, 44, died in the fire, and three other firefighters were injured, one seriously. Hill, a nine-year...
Police Officer Jay Brunkella, 39, was an 18-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the 024 District Tactical Unit. On September 22, 1986, Officer Brunkella was fatally shot when his partner’s gun accidentally discharged. The officers were at Stephen F. Gale Community Academy at 1631 W....
Sergeant Richard Davenport, Jr., 54, was a 26-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the 9th District. On August 4, 1986, Sergeant Davenport, while off duty, was alerted to an attempted auto theft in his neighborhood. He responded, identified himself as a police officer...
Patrolman George T. Bryja collapsed and died of a heart attack after a foot pursuit. Officer Bryja was off duty when he was awakened at 3:00 a.m. by the sound of the burglar alarm on the family car. His wife set the alarm off when she...
Lt. Robert J. Liesz of the 10th Battalion was killed June 17, 1986, when an air conditioner fell three stories onto his head during an apartment building fire. ...
On June 3, 1986, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Teddy Jezuit suffered a heart attack immediately after a fire at a Chicago Department of Streets and Sanitation landfill near O’Hare International Airport. Efforts to revive him were started on-scene, and he was transported to Resurrection Hospital...
Officer Richard Clark responded to a call of a "man with a gun." An armed offender had taken his landlord hostage following a dispute. Officer Clark was shot and killed by the suspect as he arrived on the scene. The suspect was sentenced to death but...
On January 26, 1986, Chicago Fire Department Lieutenant Edmond Coglianese of Engine 98 died in the line of duty during a fire in the Mark Twain Hotel at 111 W. Division Street. After helping to carry two elderly residents down a ladder from the hotel’s...
One of the worst tragedies in Waukegan’s history was a fire that occurred on Christmas morning in 1984 at the Karcher Hotel on Washington Street and claimed the lives of nine people. For the second time in their history, the Waukegan Fire Department mourned the...
Patrol Officer Kenneth Dawson was shot and killed while responding to a burglary call on Cleo Court. The suspect was convicted of murder, attempted murder, aggravated kidnapping and armed robbery, and sentenced to death. On January 11, 2003, the outgoing governor granted clemency to all 167...
Investigator Michael Ridges was shot and killed after stopping three suspects who fitted the description of men committing vandalism to a local home. As Investigator Ridges was reviewing a series of vandalism incidents that occurred around a Prospect Heights home he noticed a car with three...
On July 15, 1985, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Raymond Sidwell died in the line of duty during a 2-11 fire on N. Keystone. A member of Engine 76, Sidwell suffered a heart attack while pulling hose lines on the fireground....
Detective Wayne G. King was shot and fatally wounded during an arrest. Detective King was conducting an investigation of offenders impersonating police officers and city inspectors. He noticed a suspicious man who began to run when he saw the detective approach him. As Detective King...
On May 26, 1985, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Raymond Magnus was severely injured when he fell off the roof of a two story apartment building during a fire. Magnus, an eight year veteran with Hook and Ladder 35, fell when he was blinded by smoke...
Officer Leland Pye suffered a fatal heart attack following a struggle with a prisoner. Officer Pye had just arrested the man for battery and had transported him to the police station when the man began to fight. During the struggle, Officer Pye collapsed. He was transported...
On February 1, 1985, three Chicago Fire Department firefighters died in the line of duty at an arson fire on N. Milwaukee Ave. Captain Daniel Nockels, Firefighter Michael Forchione, and Firefighter Michael Talley, all of Hook and Ladder 58, were trying to ventilate the roof...
On February 1, 1985, three Chicago Fire Department firefighters died in the line of duty at an arson fire on N. Milwaukee Ave. Captain Daniel Nockels, Firefighter Michael Forchione, and Firefighter Michael Talley, all of Hook and Ladder 58, were trying to ventilate the roof...
On February 1, 1985, three Chicago Fire Department firefighters died in the line of duty at an arson fire on N. Milwaukee Ave. Captain Daniel Nockels, Firefighter Michael Forchione, and Firefighter Michael Talley, all of Hook and Ladder 58, were trying to ventilate the roof...
On October 30, 1984, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Phillip Kenneally of Hook and Ladder Company 38 died in the line of duty during a fire in a three-story apartment building. Kenneally and other firefighters were on the roof of the building to cut ventilation holes,...
Sergeant John Collins was killed in an automobile accident during a vehicle pursuit. The vehicle he was pursuing forced his patrol car into the rear of a parked truck. Sergeant Collins had served with the agency for 27 years. He was survived by his wife and...
Police Officer Dorelle Brandon was shot and killed while working in an undercover narcotics capacity. A situation presented itself in which Officer Brandon identified herself as a police officer and attempted to make an arrest. When assisting units arrived, the officers were not able to reach...
Police Officer Fred Eckles, Jr. was shot and killed serving a search warrant. Officer Eckles was one of several officers assigned to execute a narcotics warrant. Officer Eckles and his partner announced their office and that they had a warrant. There was no response and the officers...
Officer Robert Reimann was struck and killed by a semitrailer as he and another officer questioned a home invasion suspect on the side of a roadway. Officer Reimann had served with the Highland Park Police Department for nine years. He was survived by his wife, father...
Officer Anthony Creed, assigned to the Mounted Unit, was killed in a fall from his horse as he was engaged in the equestrian exercise program....
On August 9, 1983, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Sidney Brown of Engine Company 75 died in the line of duty after responding to a house fire where three children were mistakenly reported to be trapped. Brown typically worked at the fire hydrant during fires, and...
Officer Wayne Klacza was killed by an intoxicated driver. Officer Klacza observed a vehicle driving erratically. As he attempted to protect a pedestrian from the motorist, the car swerved and struck and killed him. The driver of the vehicle was convicted of reckless homicide and sentenced...
Police Officer Larry J. Vincent was killed and a fellow officer wounded in a gun battle with two burglary suspects. Officer Vincent and his partner responded to a burglary in progress call at an apartment located at 5131 S. Calumet just after 7:00 p.m. Officer Vincent and...
Special Agent Robert Conners, Special Agent Michael Lynch, Special Agent Terry Hereford, and Special Agent Charles Ellington were killed in an aircraft crash while on approach to Cincinnati's Lunken Airport near Montgomery, Ohio. The agents were accompanying a bank fraud suspect and his lawyer to Cincinnati...
Special Agent Charles Ellington, Special Agent Michael Lynch, Special Agent Terry Hereford, and Special Agent Robert Conners were killed in an aircraft accident while on approach to Cincinnati's Lunken Airport near Montgomery, Ohio. The agents were accompanying a bank fraud suspect and his lawyer to Cincinnati...
Special Agent Terry Hereford, Special Agent Michael Lynch, Special Agent Robert Conners, and Special Agent Charles Ellington were killed in an aircraft accident while on approach to Cincinnati's Lunken Airport near Montgomery, Ohio. The agents were accompanying a bank fraud suspect and his lawyer to Cincinnati...
Special Agent Michael Lynch, Special Agent Robert Conners, Special Agent Terry Hereford, and Special Agent Charles Ellington were killed in an aircraft accident while on approach to Cincinnati's Lunken Airport near Montgomery, Ohio. The agents were accompanying a bank fraud suspect and his lawyer to Cincinnati...
Sergeant Hampton T. McMikel, of the Kensington District, was shot and killed during an armed robbery attempt at 4135 S. Lake Shore Drive. Sergeant McMikel was off duty and stopped his car to use a pay phone at about 8:45 P.M. When he stepped out of...
Officer Martin Darcy, Jr. was shot and killed when responded to an "armed robbery in progress" call. The armed offender shot a store clerk and wounded another citizen. Following a search of the area, Officer Darcy confronted the gunman who immediately opened fire. Officer Darcy...
Officer John Lynch died after suffering a massive heart attack while transporting a deceased person. Officer Lynch and his partner were assigned to process a deceased body that was inside a residence. They carried the body from the house to the squadrol on a portable stretcher...
On March 5, 1982, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Robert Danaher of Hook and Ladder Company 52 died in the line of duty while operating at a house fire. A nineteen year veteran, Danaher was one of the first firefighters to enter the burning house, helping...
Patrolmen William P. Fahey and Richard J. O'Brien were gunned down during a traffic stop. Hours after attending the funeral of fellow officer James Doyle, Officers Fahey and O’Brien made a traffic stop. At 2:00 p.m., Fahey and O’Brien observed a late model Chevrolet go through...
Patrolmen Richard James O'Brien and William Fahey were gunned down during a traffic stop. Hours after attending the funeral of fellow officer James Doyle, Officers O’Brien and Fahey made a traffic stop. At 2:00 p.m., O’Brien and Fahey observed a late model Chevrolet go through a...
James E. Doyle, 34, was a Chicago police officer for less than one year when he was killed in the line of duty. Officer Doyle was assigned to the 006th District Gresham Station. On February 5, 1982, the rookie officer and his partner, Robert M. Mantia,...
Chicago Police Officer Edgar A. Clay, 51, was assigned to the 002nd District – Area 1 Youth Division. On January 7, 1982, Officer Clay questioned and searched a juvenile offender who was accused of stealing from Hyde Park Academy. After a .22 caliber pistol was discovered...
On January 11, 1982 Lloyd Wickliffe, an off-duty sergeant with the Cook County Department of Corrections, was shot and killed while moonlighting as an undercover security guard at a McDonald's restaurant in Chicago....
Born on January 21, 1928, Samuel L. Taylor, Sr. served the citizens of Winthrop Harbor for over 22 years. Joining the department in 1959, Taylor brought many skills and enthusiasm to his fellow members. On October 29, 1981, while on the scene of a residential fire,...
On September 22, 1981, two Chicago firefighters died in the line of duty during a fire at the Willoughby Tower on Michigan Avenue. Joseph Hitz, a veteran firefighter and snorkel truck driver with Hook and Ladder 1, and Craig McShane, a rookie firefighter with Engine...
Police Officer Michael Healy was shot and killed during a robbery attempt at the main post office in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Three suspects entered the post office and attempted to disarm Officer Healy at gunpoint. He refused to hand over his weapon and was attempting to...
First Deputy Superintendent James J. Riordan was shot and killed when he confronted an intoxicated person creating a disturbance. Deputy Superindentent Riordan was attending a dinner at a downtown hotel when the incident occurred. As he confronted the intoxicated man the offender produced a .380 caliber...
Officer Robert Marousek suffered a fatal heart attack while in the performance of his duties. Officer Marousek was in the process of transporting a corpse to the squadrol when he was stricken. He was transported to a local hospital and passed away shorty after arrival. Officer...
Police Officer Richard F. Gipson was fatally stricken while struggling with a suspect at O'Hare Airport. Gipson, an outdoor patrol officer at O'Hare, was to have gone on furlough and then into retirement the next day. Two suspects attempted to purchase tickets from American Airlines with...
Officer James Jobe succumbed to injuries suffered two weeks earlier when his squad car was struck by a train. Officer Jobe was answering an emergency call when his squad car was struck by a freight train at the outer belt railroad crossing at Algonquin Road, causing...
On October 7, 1980, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Darryl Williams of Engine 68 collapsed during a house fire. Firefighters were unable to revive Williams at the scene, so he was taken to St. Anne’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead from a heart attack....
Patrolman David Doering was shot and killed while on duty. The suspect was later shot and killed during a shootout with other officers. Patrolman Doering had served with the North Chicago Police Department for two years. He was survived by his wife....
Officer Jose M. Torres was killed when he was struck by an intoxicated, hit-and-run driver. Officer Torres was investigating an auto accident at an intersection when he was struck by an intoxicated, hit-and-run driver. The offfender was speeding and disobeyed a stop sign. Officer Torres was critically...
Patrolman William P. Bosak and Patrolman Roger Van Schaik were shot killed in an ambush attack. Officers Bosak and Van Schaik were returning to their squad car when a motorist traveling in the opposite direction stopped along side them. Without warning, the assailant began firing...
Patrolman Roger W. Van Schaik and his partner Officer William Bosak were shot killed in an ambush attack. Officers Van Schaik and Bosak were returning to their squad car when a motorist traveling in the opposite direction stopped along side them. Without warning, the assailant...
Officer James Days died after suffering a heart attack during a foot pursuit. Officer Days and his partner were on patrol when they saw an auto driving erratically in the 1300 block of East 50th Street. They chased the auto to the 1300 block of East Madison...
On October 20, 1978, Firefighter Robert Sorby of the Chicago Fire Department was fatally injured when he fell out of a moving fire apparatus. Sorby fell while riding in the jump seat on a pumper truck that was responding to a fuel spill on a...
Sergeant Anthony F. Janowski was assigned to Area 6 when his squad car was broad sided. Sergeant Janowski was in the process of completing a separate accident report. As he was enroute to the headquarters to file paperwork, he was killed in an unrelated accident. Sergeant...
On March 4, 1978, Firefighter John Grasser of the Chicago Fire Department died in the line of duty while fighting a fire in two adjoining apartment buildings on West Taylor Street. A twelve-year-veteran with Hook and Ladder Company 26, Grasser was ventilating the roof of...
On March 16, 1978, Firefighter Daniel McGovern of the Chicago Fire Department died in the line of duty. McGovern died after he was struck on the head by falling plaster during a fire. He is survived by his wife and 7 children. ...
On February 24, 1978, Firefighter Patrick Bowler of the Chicago Fire Department died in the line of duty during a house fire on West 18th Street. A member of Flying Squad 4, Bowler entered the burning building after it was mistakenly reported that three children...
On December 16, 1977, Firefighter Anthony M. Gallo of the Schaumburg Fire Department died in the line of duty while responding to a false alarm. Gallo was fatally injured while riding the tailboard of a fire truck that overturned near the intersection of Higgins and...
On November 24, 1977, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter James M. Smith of Engine 73 was fatally injured in the line of duty while responding to a fire. Smith was thrown from Engine 73 at the intersection of 104th Street and Harvard Avenue, and he died from...
Officer James Koumoundouros, while working security at a Chicago bank in the 6200 block of North Lincoln Avenue, observed an armed assailant walk in. The gunman immediately pointed his weapon at Officer Koumoundouros. While discreetly pushing the alarm button, Officer Koumoundouros calmly talked to the...
Investigator John Rusnak was killed when his unmarked vehicle was struck from behind by a pickup truck while he was traveling southbound on the Tri-State Tollway in Alsip. Investigator Rusnak was about to meet with other officers from his unit to do surveillance on a suspect's...
On June 23, 1977, Firefighter Leonard Kaiser experienced chest pains during a routine training exercise. He suffered a heart attack and died. He was survived by his wife and five children. ...
On March 21, 1977, Sergeant Michael R. Palese was struck and killed by a train while conducting a search for a missing child. Sergeant Palese was participating in an emergency plan to find a missing six year old girl. Sergeant Palese searched the railroad tracks near...
On November 22, 1976, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Walter Watroba of Engine 13 died in the line of duty following a five-alarm fire at the Commonwealth Edison generating plant. Firefighter Watroba was trapped with both of his pinned. After several hours of rescue work, Firefighter...
On October 12, 1976, Officer Terrence Loftus was shot and killed when he attempted to intervene in a dispute between two rival gangs. Officer Loftus was on his way home when he observed a gang fight. A group of gang members were chasing the rival gang...
Officer Patrick J. Crowley was shot and killed when he and other officers conducted a narcotics raid on a residence. As Officer Crowley reached the porch and announced that he was a police officer, an armed assailant fired and mortally wounded Officer Crowley. He was survived...
On July 18, 1976, Police Officer Alan Vargo was struck and killed by a drunken driver while directing traffic at the scene of an accident at 2:00 am. He was directing traffic at Arlington Heights Road and Olive Street when a drunk driver dodged a police...
On August 15, 1975, Firefighter Donald A. Moore of Truck 38 of the Chicago Fire Department died in the line of duty during a fire at a car dealership on North Cicero Avenue. An eighteen-foot brick wall collapsed on Moore as he and two other...
On August 13, 1975, Chicago Fire Department Pilot Ronald Lemar died in the line of duty when his helicopter crashed during a training exercise on Lake Michigan. Lemar and co-pilot Rudolph Allegrucci were flying a Bell G-17, pontoon-equipped helicopter during an air-sea rescue demonstration in...
Officer Cali was in the process of writing a citation on a 1966 Chevrolet for being illegally parked at a bus stop when he was suddenly struck in the head by a bullet. Officer Cali was shot by a sniper from a window at the...
On May 1, 1975, Firefighter Cerkoske suffered a heart attack while on duty. ...
Officer Joseph F. Higgins suffered a fatal heart attack following a scuffle during an arrest. Officer Higgins had served with the Chicago Police Department for 18 years and was survived by his wife and four children. ...
Officer Jessie J. Brown was shot and killed trying to disarm a gunman. Officer Brown responded to a call of a “man with a shotgun”. He found a man brandishing a shotgun and a revolver, threatening to kill several people in a domestic dispute. During a...
Officers Donald E. Andrews and Daniel E. Howard were killed in a traffic accident responding to an emergency call when another squad car collided with theirs at 43rd and Michigan. He was survived by his daughter. ...
Officer Harl G. Meister, was shot to death in a robbery attempt at 5601 South Cicero Avenue. His 8-year old son was shot in the jaw and shoulder during the attack. Officer Meister was able to draw his revolver and fire before he was killed. One...
Deputy Joseph Law was shot and killed while attempting to take action during an off-duty robbery in his apartment building at 4845 South Federal Street in Chicago. Deputy Law and another man were confronted in an elevator by three armed suspects. Deputy Law was shot in...
Officer Thomas J. Glynn suffered a fatal heart attack following a struggle with an offender during an arrest. Officer Glynn was a 21-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department and a veteran of the United States Marine Corp; his wife and seven children survive him. ...
Sergeant Otha LeMons was shot and killed during an armed robbery. Sergeant LeMons observed three armed men enter a lounge and announce a robbery. As Sergeant LeMons attempted to prevent the crime, one of the gunmen fired his weapon, fatally wounding him. ...
Officer Robert Strugala was killed and his partner was seriously wounded in a gun battle at 3157 W. 26th Street. Officer Strugala was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and was assigned to the Marquette District. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter. His partner...
Officers Thomas A. Wodarczyk and William S. Bodnar, Jr. , assigned to squad car 107 in the Central District, died when their car rammed a produce truck at Van Buren and Morgan Streets while they were chasing a stolen vehicle. Officer Wodarczyk is survived by his...
Officers William S. Bodnar, Jr. and Thomas A. Wodarczyk, assigned to squad car 107 in the Central District died when their car rammed a produce truck at Van Buren and Morgan Streets while they were chasing a stolen vehicle. Officer Bodnar was survived by his wife...
Joseph Jankovsky was struck and killed by a car while making a traffic stop on LaGrange Road. He served with the department for nine months. He is survived by his wife and two children. ...
Patrolman Bruce N. Garrison and his partner, Patrolman William C. Marsek were killed during an arrest of a wanted fugitive. The two officers, assigned to Area Six Special Operations, observed the man enter a tavern. When the officers entered the tavern they could not see because...
Officer Edward L. Barron was shot and killed during a robbery in progress call. The suspect robbed and pistol-whipped one of two elderly victims and stole 55-centers. Upon their arrival, three police officers located the offender and ordered him to drop his weapon. The gunman responded...
Officer Louis Cullotta was killed while working a uniformed security detail. An assailant walked into the establishment, drew a revolver, and shot Officer Cullotta Later investigation revealed that the gunman was seeking revenge against Officer Cullotta over an interrogation that had occurred 3 years earlier. Officer Cullotta...
Officer Wendell Hicks was shot and killed while attempting to arrest two men burglarizing parked cars. Officer Hicks was off-duty at a bowling alley when a citizen came in and reported that the two men were breaking into cars. Officer Hicks immediately responded to the parking...
On March 17, 1973, Chicago Fire Department Lieutenant Thomas Nolan died in the line of duty of smoke inhalation he sustained at a fire on January 1, 1973. Nolan was a member of Truck Company 55. He is survived by his wife and two sons. ...
Volunteer Firefighter Warren H. Ahlgrim was one of three volunteer firefighters from the Palatine Fire Department who were killed on February 23, 1973, while trying to extinguish a blaze at the Ben Franklin Variety Store in downtown Palatine, Illinois. He was survived by his wife and...
Volunteer Firefighter Richard H. Freeman was one of three volunteer firefighters from the Palatine Fire Department who were killed on February 23, 1973, while trying to extinguish a blaze at the Ben Franklin Variety Store in downtown Palatine, Illinois. He was survived by his wife...
Three volunteer firefighters from the Palatine Fire Department were killed on February 23, 1973, while trying to extinguish a blaze at the Ben Franklin Variety Store in downtown Palatine, Illinois. John Wilson, the owner of the store, was one of the firefighters killed, along with...
On January 24, 1973 Sergeant Michael Maguire was found shot in the parking area of Martha Washington Hospital. Around 9:00 p.m. a hospital security guard heard three shots being fired and found the wounded sergeant with his gun and badge near him. It is theorized...
Officer Robert F. Wenzel was shot and killed during a traffic stop. At some point during the traffic stop, the motorist drew a revolver and fired two shots. Officer Wenzel, though wounded, was able to return fire, striking the subject multiple times. The dedicated officer died...
On January 6, 1973, three Chicago Fire Department firefighters died in the line of duty, and twenty-eight others were injured, while battling a fire in the Chicago Loop. Firefighters Richard E. Kowalzyk of Engine 104, Timothy Moran of Engine 25, and Alfred Stach, the driver...
On January 6, 1973, three Chicago Fire Department firefighters died in the line of duty, and twenty-eight others were injured, while battling a fire in the Chicago Loop. Firefighters Timothy Moran of Engine 25, Alfred Stach, the driver for 2nd Deputy Fire Marshal Robert Lucas,...
On January 6, 1973, three Chicago Fire Department firefighters died in the line of duty, and twenty-eight others were injured, while battling a fire in the Chicago Loop. Firefighters Alfred Stach, the driver for 2nd Deputy Fire Marshal Robert Lucas, Richard E. Kowalzyk of Engine...
On December 22, 1972, Officer Edgar DeCuir was processing a prisoner when the prisoner suddenly attacked him and a struggle ensued. After the prisoner was subdued, Officer DeCuir collapsed and suffered a fatal heart attack. He was survived by his wife. ...
Lieutenant Edward O'Neill was in charge of the security detail for presidential nominee George McGovern. When on duty waiting for his plane to arrive, Lt. O'Neill suffered a fatal heart attack. He was survived by his wife and six children. ...
Officer Anthony Raymond was murdered after being abducted during a traffic stop on the westbound entrance ramp to the Eisenhower Expressway, at Mannheim Road, at 10:15 pm. Patrolman Raymond was unaware the three occupants in the suspicious vehicle he stopped had just committed an armed robbery...
Officer Scannell arrested a man who was causing a disturbance. The man began to beat Officer Scannell. Two other officers arrived in their squad car to assist and put the offender in the back of their car. People who were watching the altercation let the...
Officer Mackey suffered injuries when he hit the rear of a CTA bus with his squad car. He was transported to intensive care until he died months later. He was survived by his wife and four children. ...
Officer Robert L. Gallowitch was shot and fatally wounded while responding to a robbery call at a jewelry store. Upon arrival, Officer Gallowitch discovered three gunmen disguised as telephone repairmen. The offenders kidnapped a telephone truck driver and were using the stolen truck when robbing...
Firefighter Martin M. Gillan was overcome with smoke inhalation while fighting a fire on December 27, 1971. Because of continued dizziness and heaviness in his chest, he was hospitalized. After several days, he succumbed to the smoke inhalation. He was survived by his wife and eight...
Officer Melvin Cohen was killed after his three-wheel motorcycle struck an elevated train pillar on West Lake Street while he was pursuing a speeding motorist. During the chase, Officer Cohen braked to avoid traffic and struck the pillar. The motorist being pursued was never located. Officer Cohen...
Officer Irwin Hayden was killed in a helicopter accident. He was assigned to the traffic unit involved in providing traffic reports to local radio stations when the police helicopter suffered an airframe failure and crashed. Officer Hayden had served with the Chicago Police Department for 23 years. ...
Deputy Marshal Henry Dale was shot and killed when he interrupted a robbery of a tavern at 119 East 79th Street in Chicago, Illinois. Four men entered the tavern and announced a robbery. Deputy Marshal Dale shot and killed one of the subjects before being shot...
Officer Sidney Sam was shot and killed when he was identified as an officer during a robbery while off duty. He had just finished in his shift and was sitting in his personal car, still in uniform, when he was approached. He was survived by his wife...
On May 4, 1971, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Louis Coda of Engine 93, 17th Battalion, died in the line of duty. Coda suffered a heart attack and collapsed while dragging a hose line during a fire on S. Michigan Avenue. He was survived by his wife...
On April 26, 1971, Lieutenant William J. Zink, a 33-year veteran of the Chicago Fire Department, suffered chest pains while on duty with the 17th Battalion. Several hours later he suffered a fatal heart attack. He was survived by his wife. ...
Captain Pospisil suffered a fatal heart attack while fighting an extra-alarm warehouse fire on Cottage Grove Avenue. He was survived by his wife and six children. ...
On April 23rd, 1971, Chicago Fire Department Lieutenant Joseph Janovic of Hook and Ladder 54 died in the line of duty after suffering a heart attack outside of his firehouse. Janovic, a twenty-eight year veteran with the department, had just returned to quarters following a...
On March 20, 1971, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Harry E. Bielawski of Engine Company 63 died in the line of duty during an extra alarm fire at a vacant building on E. 63rd Street. Bielawski and Firefighter Eugene Craven were operating a hose line when...
On February 21, 1971, Firefighter Edward J. Nowakowski of the Forest River Fire Department suffered a fatal heart attack in the line of duty while fighting a restaurant/dance hall fire in Wheeling, Illinois. During the fire, Nowakowski was overcome by smoke, but he returned to active...
On February 13, 1971, two Chicago Fire Department firefighters were killed in the line of duty while operating at a fire on N. Elston Avenue. Lieutenant William Quinn and Firefighter Martin Dyer, both of the 2nd Battalion, were fighting a fire inside the building housing...
On February 13, 1971, two Chicago Fire Department firefighters were killed in the line of duty while operating at a fire on N. Elston Avenue. Firefighter Martin Dyer and Lieutenant William Quinn, both of the 2nd Battalion, were fighting a fire inside the building housing...
Officer Paul Thomas was mortally wounded when he attempted to stop an armed robbery during his off duty hours. Officer Thomas was visiting his father at his father's place of business. While in a rear office, he heard two robbers enter and begin to scuffle with...
Officer Matonich was shot and killed while investigating an incident near the Chicago Stadium, where he had been assigned for traffic duty. For some unknown reason a drunk and disorderly man commandeered a taxi cab at gunpoint. In an attempt to bring attention to the situation,...
On September 29, 1970, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter James Pratt of Truck 12 died in the line of duty after suffering a heart attack during a residential fire on W. Washburne Avenue. Pratt was using a power saw to cut a ventilation hole in the...
Officer Leonard Morgan was helping to carry a heart attack victim to his squad car for transportation to the hospital when he himself suffered a heart attack. He remained in the hospital until his death on September 16, 1970. He was survived by his wife. ...
Detective James Alfano was shot and killed while investigating a report of a gang fight that was about to take place. He was driving through an alley, between 66th Place and 67th Street near Stony Island Avenue, but was blocked by an obstruction in the roadway....
Officer Tony Rizzato and Sergeant James Severin were shot and killed by gang members while patrolling community housing for an all-volunteer "Walk and Talk" project. As the officers proceeded across the Seward Park baseball field, the assailants opened fire from an apartment window. Both officers were...
Officer Kaner was shot and killed on June 19, 1970. Officer Kaner was sitting in his squad near 71st Street and Union Street. Five assailants approached and one fired a 12-gauge shotgun through the open passenger side window. Officer Kaner was mortally wounded. The five...
Officer Melvin E. Brown was shot and killed during an arrest of armed robbers. Officer Brown observed three gunmen enter a lounge and announce a robbery. As the robbers ordered the patrons to place their hands on the bar, Officer Brown attempted to subdue one of...
Youth Officer Casey Tristano suffered a fatal heart attack after he and another officer struggled with a juvenile at a church on North Lelair Avenue. A fight had broken out during a youth dance party. A juvenile struck Officer Tristano in the face several times during...
During an attempted robbery, Lieutenant O'Connor tried to subdue and arrest the offender, but he was shot and killed. He was survived by his wife and four children. ...
Officer Lynch and his partner were patrolling the area when they were flagged down by a security officer asking for help with 6 potential offenders. They arrested three, while the other three ran. Officer Lynch ran after them, caught one, and as he was bringing...
Detective Oliver J. Singleton, who had been paralyzed following a gun battle, succumbed to his wounds some 10 months later. Detective Singleton and his partner were wounded when they and other policemen foiled a robbery on January 24, 1969, at the Bell and Howell plant in...
Officer Frank G. Rappaport was killed during a gun battle with members of the Black Panther Party. Officer Rappaport and his partner entered a gangway between two buildings, when a man opened fire with a shotgun from a porch below, striking Officer Rappaport in the...
Officer Samuel Lynch was killed when his three-wheel motorcycle was struck by a hit-and-run driver at the intersection of South Clark Street and West Polk Street. The driver who struck him was never identified. Officer Lynch had served with the Chicago Police Department for 12 years. He...
On September 14, 1969, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Lawrence J. Kelly of Engine 112 suffered a fatal heart attack while fighting a fire on North Wells Street. He is survived by his wife and son. ...
Officer Erwin Jackson was accidentally shot and killed by a fellow officer. Jackson and his partner responded to a call that a man with a gun was threatening customers in the tavern at 3320 West Roosevelt Road. The officers ordered the gunman to drop his weapon....
Sergeant James Schaffer and Detective Jerome A. Stubig were killed near the beginning of a rampage by a gunman and bomber. Sergeant Schaffer and Detective Stubig were the first to arrive at the scene where two fellow officers had been shot. Six policemen and two civilians...
Detective Jerome A. Stubig and Sergeant James Schaffer were killed near the beginning of a rampage by a gunman and bomber. Detective Stubig and Sergeant Schaffer were the first to arrive at the scene where two fellow officers had been shot. Six policemen and two civilians...
On March 28, 1969, Captain Frank Schnurstein of the Forest Park Fire Department suffered a fatal heart attack in the line of duty. Schnurstein was on the first fire truck that responded to a fire in a three-story building containing a store on the first floor...
Deputy Richard Vail suffered a fatal heart attack as he and another deputy struggled with a prisoner in the county's traffic court. The 20-year-old prisoner, who had been charged with reckless driving, had begun arguing and fighting with other prisoners. As both deputies attempted to calm...
Officer Kasten suffered a fatal heart attack while performing his duties. He was survived by his wife. ...
On Decmber 31, 1968, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter James P. Fisher of Truck 47 died in the line of duty after he was trapped in a burning building during a fire on Clark Street. Fisher and several other firefighters were handling a hose line on...
Officer Joseph F. Ferguson was shot and killed while questioning three suspicious men. Officer Ferguson and his partner stopped three men because they saw a bulge under one of the men's coat. One of the men convinced them that he was not with the remaining two...
On December 7, 1968, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Gary Descher was fatally injured in the line of duty while fighting a fire at a bowling alley on N. Spaulding Avenue. Descher, a seven-year veteran of Hook and Ladder 38, was operating on the roof of...
Detective Clayton Robinson was shot and killed during an arrest. Detective Robinson was making an arrest at Blackhawk and Larrabee. A struggle ensued during which the man pulled out a gun and shot Detective Robinson. He was survived by his wife and four children. ...
Officer John R. Tucker was shot and killed during an armed robbery. Officer Tucker observed an armed robber enter a bank and took a position behind a pillar as the gunman approached a teller's cage. Officer Tucker was approaching the robber from behind when the gunman...
On June 16, 1968, Chicago Fire Department Fire Marshal John Vernon Daugherty died in the line of duty. A firefighter for more than thirty years, Daugherty suffered a heart attack while directing firefighters during a fire at a factory on Harrison Street. ...
Officer Henry L. Peeler, of the Englewood District, was shot and killed by a gunman who murdered Sergeant Jack Armstrong, of the SOU Railroad Police Department, two months earlier in East St. Louis, Illinois. After the gunman and three others murdered Sergeant Armstrong, they stole his...
Detective Young Clifton Hobson was shot and killed during an interrogation of a suspect. Detective Hobson observed a man with a handgun in his waistband. Detective Hobson approached the man and began to question him. The gunman drew the weapon and fired several shots, striking Detective...
Captain Fischer was killed in an explosion while fighting a fire at Mickleberry Food Products Company. Nine total people were killed in the blast. Captain Fischer was survived by his wife and two children. ...
Firefighter Leifker was killed in an explosion while fighting a fire at Mickleberry Food Products Company. Nine total people were killed in the blast. Firefighter Leifker was survived by his wife and six children. ...
On January 8, 1968, Chicago Fire Department Firefighter Thomas Conley of Truck 50 suffered a fatal heart attack while fighting an apartment building fire on W. 79th Place. He was survived by his wife and two children. ...
Deputy Frank Dannenberg succumbed to injuries suffered three days earlier when he was attacked and beaten after serving an eviction notice. Deputy Dannenberg was preparing to leave Cabrini-Green, when the attack occurred. He was found with severe head injuries and later succumbed to his injuries. Deputy...
Officer Charles Pollard was found fatally shot behind an apartment building after interrupting an armed robbery. Officer Pollard was survived by his wife and two children. ...
Officer John Collins was off duty shopping with his wife and son when he saw a man trying to break into his car. Officer Collins announced he was a police officer and attempted to arrest the man. The man got out his gun and grabbed...
Sergeant Means was directing traffic when he was struck by a motorist. Sergeant Means was survived by his wife and two children. ...
Responding to a call for assistance from neighboring departments, Sergeant Genualdi and other members of the Streamwood Police Department set up a road block. The fleeing suspect attempted to run the blockade and struck Sergeant Genualdi. He is survived by his wife and five children. ...
Sergeant John Nagle and Officer Anthony Perri were shot and killed while trying to stop an armed robbery at the Northlake Bank. Sergeant Nagle was survived by his wife and three children. ...
Officer Anthony Perri and Sergeant John Nagle were shot and killed while trying to stop an armed robbery at the Northlake Bank. Officer Perri is survived by his wife and two children. ...
On October 10, 1967, Chicago Fire Department Captain John S. Donovan, the acting chief for Battalion 23, suffered a fatal heart attack in the line of duty. Donovan’s battalion responded to a fire in a three-story vacant building on Komensky Avenue, and one firefighter was...
Captain Donald L. Barnes was struck and killed by a vehicle while directing traffic due to a brownout at 115th Street and Cicero Avenue. He was survived by his wife and two children. ...
On June 1, 1967, Battalion Chief John P. Spellman of Chicago Fire Department Battalion 7, died in the line of duty during a multi-structure fire near the intersection of 17th Street and South Racine Avenue. The fire started in a garage, but quickly spread to...
Firefighter Campbell fell from the rear of a fire truck when en route to a fire and sustained fatal injuries. Firefighter Campbell was survived by his wife and five children. ...
Officer Herman Stallworth died after being shot during a traffic stop. His partner was wounded in the incident. He and his partner stopped a vehicle at Cottage Grove Avenue and Marquette Road for a traffic offense. There were two occupants and neither had identification. As his...
Deputy Probst was shot and killed through a window in his home. He was survived by his wife and three children. ...
Sergeant Gerald Doll was shot and killed during a traffic stop. Sergeant Doll spotted a station wagon speeding north on Cicero Avenue and pursued the vehicle where it stopped at the corner of Shakespeare Avenue. As Sergeant Doll approached, the driver produced a gun and fired...
Officer Bell was off-duty when he assisted fellow officers with an armed robbery. The suspect hid in a building and fired at the officers. A gun battle ensued and Officer Bell was mortally wounded. Officer Bell was survived by his wife. ...