The off-duty killing of Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca over the weekend was formally classified as a line-of-duty death on Tuesday — what would’ve been his 31st birthday.
In a letter to department members, Police Supt. Larry Snelling described Huesca as “a kind spirit who cared deeply for his family, friends and our city.”
Huesca was attacked early Sunday in the 3100 block of West 56th Street while driving from work to his Gage Park apartment. He was still wearing his uniform when he was shot multiple times, and his SUV was taken after he was wounded.
“Today would have been Officer Luis Huesca’s 31st birthday,” Snelling wrote. “Instead, we are left to grieve the loss of a young officer in the line of duty. Though we are mourning, we will honor and celebrate the man he was and the lasting impact he had on all those who knew him.”
Huesca’s family will now be entitled to additional benefits because of the ruling that he died in the line of duty. The killing of Officer Aréanah Preston, shot during a robbery as she returned home from work last May, was similarly classified as a line of duty death.
A procession on Tuesday afternoon was expected to carry Huesca’s body from the Cook County medical examiner’s office to Blake-Lamb Funeral Home in Oak Lawn.
On Monday evening, the police department issued a community alert that included surveillance videos of a person wanted in connection with Huesca’s slaying.
The alert asked for the public’s help identifying the male “subject,” who police said should be “considered armed and dangerous.” The videos appear to show him walking down a dark street and wearing different outfits at two convenience stores.
In his letter, Snelling said Huesca’s funeral will be planned “in the coming days” as he reflected on the young officer’s legacy.
“Throughout the past two days, I have had the honor of spending time with his family and those who worked alongside him,” Snelling said.
“To his family, he was a beloved son and brother. To his family here at CPD, he was a loyal and trusted friend who led by example. To the community, he was a dedicated officer with integrity who represented the best of our department.”
