By Mark Weyermuller, Contributor
Chicago Police Officer Andres Vasquez Lasso was killed in the line of duty responding to a domestic call last week. The shooting took place by Sawyer Elementary School in the Gage Park neighborhood.
A suspect was shot and arrested. He is in critical condition in the hospital and he is being held with no bond.
Last year, Chicago had 723 murders; and 845 murders in 2021. And three months into 2023, there have been 96 homicides with almost 400 shot.
On Saturday, Officer Vasquez-Lasso’s wife posted a touching tribute to her husband on her Facebook page, concluding the tribute with these final words,
“Rest in peace my love. Nalah and I will miss you every second of our lives. You are and always will be a hero. Always remembered, never forgotten.“
The visitation for Officer Vasquez-Lasso will be held on March 8 from 3-8 pm at the Blake-Lamb Funeral Home at 4727 West 103rd St. in Oak Lawn, Illinois.
The funeral Mass will be Thursday March 9, and will begin at 10 am at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel at 7740 S. Western Avenue in Chicago, Illinois. Interment will be private.
A benefit is also scheduled for Thursday, with proceeds going to support the Vasquez-Lasso family. The event is free, but donations will be accepted at the door.
In 2023, 17 police officers have died in the line of duty nationwide, in addition to 3 fallen K9s.
Illinois Review mourns the loss of every officer, because “when a police officer is killed, it’s not an agency that loses an officer, it’s an entire nation.”
