Chicago, Ill., Aug 11, 2021 / 18:00 pm
Blase Cardinal Cupich of Chicago condemned Wednesday the rising levels of gun violence in the city of Chicago and called for prayers after one police officer was shot and killed, and another was injured.
“Saturday night, members of the Chicago Police Department’s Community Safety Team stopped a vehicle for an expired license plate. Soon after, Officer Ella French, just 29 years old, was shot and killed by one of the occupants of the civilian vehicle,” Cardinal Cupich said in a statement released by the archdiocese Aug. 11.
Cardinal Cupich noted that another officer was wounded and is still in critical condition, adding, “we pray for him, for his family and friends, just as we pray for Officer French and her family and friends, as they cope with the terrible reality that their loved one was taken from them in another act of senseless violence.”
“We can only imagine their pain, as we hold them in prayer and stand with them and all first responders who risk their safety every day to protect our communities and keep the peace,” he said.