The incident occurred during a National Day of Prayer service in Chicago, where the mayor's chauffeured vehicle was reportedly waiting in a nearby alley.
The journalists pursued Mayor Johnson, imploring him to comment on the arrest of Xavier Tate Jr., who is accused of killing Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca in a carjacking incident last month. The scene was captured on video, showing the mayor hastily retreating amidst a group of aides before entering a black SUV.
May 05, 2024
NBC 5's Mary Ann Ahern was heard shouting, "Mr. Mayor, why do you have to run from us?" while CBS Chicago's Darius Johnson requested, "Mayor, we just want a comment last night about the arrest last night in relation to Officer Huesca."
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In response to the video, the mayor's office told CBS Chicago that the person filmed running was not the mayor, but someone trying to catch the departing car.
Xavier Tate Jr., 22, was apprehended in Glendale Heights on Wednesday, ten days after he allegedly shot Officer Huesca, a six-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, in the early hours of April 21. The Chicago police have charged Tate with first-degree murder, aggravated vehicular hijacking, and possession of a stolen firearm. A judge has denied him pretrial release.
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Authorities report that the accused shot the off-duty officer, who was still in his uniform and driving home after his shift, ten times. Officer Huesca was rushed to the University of Chicago Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
In a statement, Huesca's family said, "The vile nature of this crime and its devastating impact on our family and the community demand uncompromising pursuit of justice." They added, "While no measure of justice can bring Officer Huesca back or fully heal our hearts, we take solace in his enduring legacy of service and bravery."
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The city's streets were filled with hundreds of people on Monday for Officer Huesca's funeral procession. The family of the fallen officer requested that neither Mayor Johnson nor Governor JB Pritzker attend the funeral due to their perceived lenient crime policies, as reported by NBC 5.