CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Mayor Lori Lightfoot has responded to reports that a group of Chicago police officers turned their backs on her after the murder of a female cop over the weekend.
After officer Ella French, 29, was fatally wounded during a West Englewood with traffic stop Saturday night and a fellow officer was fighting for his life.
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Lightfoot attempted to speak to a crowd of officers waiting at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Reports said a group of them turn their backs toward her. Photos depicted the scene.
A statement from a mayoral spokesman said she was there to offer support and condolences to the families involved and the hundreds of line officers and others who were there and she did.
But the statement said, "In a time of tragedy, emotions run high. That's to be expected."
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Fraternal Order of Police president John Catanzara told the Chicago Sun-Times shunning the mayor was an excellent example of how the officers feel. This comes after a Chicago Alderman Ray Lopez issued a tweet calling the cops a 'joke,' when video surfaced of officers struggling to make an arrest. He blamed Lightfoot and Cook County State's Attorney Kimberly Foxx.
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However, the city hall statement said the mayor is focused "healing the wounds" and she'll reject any and all that try to use this moment to drive further divisions in our city.
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