Chicago Area Local News

CHICAGO (CBS) ― A 27-year veteran Chicago Police officer was shot and killed early Wednesday morning after a woman grabbed away his service gun in a struggle near the Belmont Area Police Headquarters.

Family and colleagues of Belmont District Patrol Officer Richard Francis, 60, were in mourning. And for the first time since he's been on the job, 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 $5,000 check from the Hundred Club, which raises money to aid families of fallen officers.

Francis was shot at 2 a.m. at the intersection of Belmont and Western avenues, just outside the complex that includes a district police station, the detective headquarters for five North Side districts, and a Cook County branch courthouse.

On Wednesday morning, the Chicago flag outside the headquarters, at 2452 W. Belmont Ave., had been replaced with a purple and black mourning flag. All the flags were lowered to half staff. 

Francis was the first officer shot and killed in the line of duty in six years. He was on routine patrol when he saw a woman acting erratically and harassing people at a bus stop. 

Francis stepped out to investigate and 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 other officers who responded, and they in turn shot and wounded her.

An employee of a nearby gas station watched the events unfold.

"Gunshots went off -- they went off really bad," said Lee Lewis, "a lot of shooting."

Francis was pronounced dead at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center around 3 a.m. The woman was also taken to Illinois Masonic in critical condition.

Dr. Carl Bell, a professor of psychiatry at the University of Illinois-Chicago, said there were any number of reasons the woman in question would have allegedly shot the officer.

"The heat of battle would make a person go for an officer's gun," Bell said. "We have no idea if this woman was a victim of domestic violence. We don't know if she was psychotic. We don't know if she was your normal average person."

Francis' body was taken in an ambulance from the hospital to the Cook County Medical Examiner's office, accompanied by a police wagon and several squad cars. Numerous fellow officers saluted the ambulance that carried away Francis' body.

"Our focus right now is on his family, the tragic loss to his family, it's a terrible loss to the Chicago Police Department, and our hearts and condolences and prayers are with the family, friends and members of the department. It's a stark reminder of the dangers that this department and officers face every day," Weis said.

In a statement released Wednesday afternoon, Mayor Richard M. Daley called Francis "a conscientious and professional officer who will be remembered for the dedication and commitment to duty that he showed throughout his career."

The mayor added, "It is a sad day for all Chicagoans when a law enforcement officer is killed carrying out his duty to protect us. The people of Chicago share the grief of Officer Francis's family and we offer our prayers for him and for them."

Gov. Rod Blagojevich also took a moment to salute Francis and offer his condolences to the family. "It's not how the officers died that made them heroes, but it's how he lived.  And Officer Francis gave his life to protect our communities, protect our neighborhoods. My condolences to his family, to his children and my prayers are with him and his family. Let it remind us how precious life is," Blagojevich said.

Ralph Scheu with the Hundred 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, "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."

As a steady stream of officers dropped by to offer their condolences, neighbors said Francis' friendly nature was reflected in the way he lived, and perhaps, the way he died.

"I don't know what took place, I wasn't there. But I know this person and he was a kind man. He could have used force but he didn't because he was such a good human being. This was a rare person, a rare person," Rehn said.

"He was always concerned with his daughter," said neighbor Linda Garcia. "He spoke about her with great tenderness."

Francis moved into the neighborhood about nine years ago, neighbors said.

"He was a wonderful guy. . . He's been a great neighbor," said Susan Francek. "Everybody watches out for each other here... He is always working in the yard... He just offered us the swing.

"I have two siblings who are Chicago Police officers," she added. "It's incredibly hard."

Another neighbor, Judy Beilfuss, said Francis could always be seen walking his dog in the neighborhood.

"Rick loved his basset hound," she said. "I heard a disturbance last night. I saw two police officers in front. The dogs were barking like mad."

The female shooter was shot six times by police and was in stable condition at Illinois Masonic. Her identity has not been learned, but there is some talk at the Belmont District station that she might have been someone police there have had dealings with before.

Authorities said they will not release her name until she faces charges, which is expected to happen sometime on Thursday.

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 said they may have an update Thursday morning on funeral arrangements for Francis and charges against the woman who allegedly shot him. She remained in critical condition Wednesday night.

CBS 2's Derrick Blakley, Suzanne Le Mignot, Joanie Lum and Kris Habermehl, the Associated Press and the STNG Wire contributed to this report.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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