The mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, did not attend the funeral of fallen police officer Luis Huesca because the family of the deceased said he was not welcome. Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza claimed that she had personally conveyed the family’s wishes to the mayor’s office, and multiple local reports indicated that the family had expressed that the mayor should not attend the funeral. The reason for shunning Johnson from the funeral was not explicitly stated, but tensions between the police department and the mayor’s office regarding crime policies were cited as a possible cause. Johnson’s office did not comment on the situation, according to multiple sources. Officer Huesca was killed while off-duty and responding to a gunshot alert on the city’s Southwest Side. He was shot multiple times by a suspect and passed away upon arrival at the hospital.
Johnson issued a written statement expressing his condolences to the family and mourning the loss of Officer Huesca. He pledged to continue supporting the police and first responders, working towards uniting the city and creating a safer Chicago. The mayor’s office did not receive an explicit reason for not being welcomed at Huesca’s funeral, according to sources. The fallen officer’s funeral was held at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel, where police, firefighters, and other mourners paid their respects. The suspect responsible for Huesca’s death, a 22-year-old male, has not been capturd or named by authorities.
The situation with the mayor’s absence from Officer Huesca’s funeral highlights a rift between the police department and the mayor’s office in Chicago. Family members of the fallen officer reportedly expressed that Johnson was unwelcome at the funeral, leading to the mayor’s schedule being adjusted to him not attending the event. Despite not being present at the funeral, Johnson issued a statement expressing his condolences to Huesca’s family and vowing to support the police and first responders. The fallen officer was killed while off-duty while responding to a call on the city’s Southwest Side and succumbed to multiple gunshot wounds upon arrival at the hospital.
The tensions between the police department and the mayor’s office in Chicago are apparent in the situation surrounding Officer Huesca’s funeral. The disagreement between the family and Mayor Johnson led to his absence from the event, according to local reports. While no explicit reason was given for not wanting the mayor at the funeral, the rift is reflective of ongoing tensions over crime policies between the police and the mayor’s office. Despite not attending the funeral, Johnson issued a statement honoring Officer Huesca’s memory and pledging to continue supporting the police and working towards a safer Chicago. The suspect responsible for Huesca’s death has yet to be captured or named by authorities.
The absence of Mayor Johnson at Officer Huesca’s funeral underscores the divide between the police department and the mayor’s office in Chicago. The family of the fallen officer reportedly did not want the mayor to attend the funeral, leading to the mayor’s office adjusting his schedule to not be present at the event. The situation has been attributed to growing tensions between the police department and the mayor over crime policies, although an explicit reason for the family’s decision was not provided. Despite not attending the funeral, Mayor Johnson issued a statement expressing his condolences and vowing to support the police and first responders in the city. The suspect responsible for Officer Huesca’s death remains at large and has not been identified by authorities.
