Jul 3, 2008 9:26 pm US/Central
Woman Charged In Shooting That Killed Officer
Officer Richard Francis Was Shot Dead With Own Gun
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
A woman has been charged in the murder of a Chicago Police officer. She is accused of grabbing a Chicago Police officer's weapon and shooting him dead early Wednesday morning right outside the Belmont Area Headquarters.
Chicago Police charged Robin Johnson, 44, with one count of first degree murder, one count of disarming a police officer and four counts of attempted murder. Johnson is still hospitalized and was charged this evening in Area 3.
Police say the woman was harassing people at a bus stop at the corner of Belmont and Western avenues at 2 a.m. Wednesday. Belmont District Officer Richard Francis was on routine patrol at the time and stepped out to investigate.
He got into a struggle with the woman, who grabbed his gun and shot him in the head.
Backup officers came to help, but were unable to save him. The woman allegedly tried to threaten the other officers who responded, and they in turn shot her nine times.
Francis was pronounced dead at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center around 3 a.m. The woman was in treatment there as of Thursday morning.
The woman's identity will not be released until she is charged, but there is some talk at the Belmont District station that she was a homeless woman whom police at the Belmont District station, 2452 W. Belmont Ave., have had dealings with before.
Francis was the first officer shot and killed in the line of duty in six years. For the first time since he took over at the beginning of the year, police Supt. Jody Weis continued a sad but proud tradition – visiting the family of a slain police officer, offering not only his condolences, but also a $50,000 check from the Hundred Club, which raises money to aid families of fallen officers.
Ralph Scheu with the 100 Club said, "It's particularly difficult when you think he was killed by his own gun." As for the fact the person who killed Francis was a woman, Scheu said, "Women are just as bad as men. Don't fool yourself."
Francis had received several commendations throughout his career as an officer and his time serving with the U.S. Navy, Chicago police said.
In the Jefferson Park neighborhood where he lived, neighbors and friends were coming to terms with their loss.
Francis leaves behind a wife and two children, ages 19 and 12, according to fellow officers. Neighbors described Francis as a dedicated father and good neighbor.
Neighbor Barbara Rehn said tearfully, "They always talk about the bad things officers do, but this was an amazing human being, an amzing human being. I mean that from the bottom of my heart."
Outside his Jefferson Park home Wednesday afternoon were some of the things Francis loved and left behind: his motorcycle and his two basset hounds, Tallulah and Nelson.
Neighbor Ron Schmidt said: "I always kidded him about when he was going to retire. I said they were going to have to throw him off the force."
Donald Marquez was the last Chicago police officer to be shot and killed while on duty. The 20-year veteran was gunned down in March 2002 on the Northwest Side.
Marquez was attempting to serve a warrant on a 77-year-old man on North Avers. The man opened fire and was shot to death by police after a 15-minute gun battle.
An off-duty officer was shot and killed in February 2007.
Police say the wake for Officer Francis will be held on Sunday, July 6 at Cooney Funeral Home at 3918 W. Irving Park Rd. in Chicago with visitation from 12:00-9:00 p.m. The funeral services will be held on Monday, July 7 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Monica Catholic Church at 5136 N. Nottingham Ave. in Chicago.
CBS 2's Joanie Lum, the Associated Press and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.
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