Slain Chicago Cop's Mom Writes Thank You for Daughter's 30th Birthday

Sept. 1, 2021

A letter written by the mother of Chicago police Officer Ella French, who was gunned down Aug. 7, thanked the city and “all the women and men in law enforcement near and far."

By Shanzeh Ahmad

Source Chicago Tribune

A Chicago police officer holds an image of Officer Ella French in his hat during her funeral service Aug. 19 at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel.

Elizabeth French, mother of slain Chicago police Officer Ella French, wrote a letter Tuesday thanking several people, including the Chicago Police Department and area communities, on what would have been her daughter’s 30th birthday.

Ella French was shot and killed while conducting a traffic stop of three people in a vehicle just after 9 p.m. Aug. 7 in West Englewood. Her partner, Carlos Yanez Jr., was seriously wounded after being shot and faces the possibility of a lifetime disability, his family said.

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In the letter, Ella French’s mother thanked the city of Chicago and “all the women and men in law enforcement near and far.” She also thanked a number of people by name, including Chicago dispatcher Keith Thornton Jr. and “the many faces and names of people who remain unknown to us.”

“Your beautiful and heartfelt words of comfort, prayers and donations will be remembered forever,” French wrote. “More importantly, your love and support during this difficult time will be a treasure I carry with me for the rest of my life.”

Ella French joined the Police Department in 2018 and was a member of the department’s community safety team, which patrols areas around the city prone to spikes in violence and other crime.

Thousands attended Ella French’s funeral service at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel on the Southwest Side earlier this month.

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