'He Was Exemplary': Service Honors Chicago Police Officer 2 Weeks to Day after Killing

By Sam Charles

Source Chicago Tribune

CHICAGO — Hundreds of law enforcement officers stood at attention on the north lawn of St. Rita of Cascia church Monday morning, rain sprinkling down on them, as pallbearers carried the casket of slain Chicago Police Officer Enrique Martinez inside the church.

The services came two weeks to the day after Martinez, 26, was fatally shot after he and other officers approached a car in the 8000 block of South Ingleside in the Chatham neighborhood.

It was the second time this year that scores of CPD officers, department leaders, suburban officers and law enforcement officials from across the country flocked to St. Rita to remember the life of a young officer.

Among those in attendance were former Mayor Richard M. Daley and deputy mayor for public safety Garien Gatewood, along with alders Marty Quinn, Anthony Napolitano, Matt O’Shea, Anthony Beale, Peter Chico, Jason Ervin and former mayoral candidate Paul Vallas.

Over the weekend, Mayor Brandon Johnson walked back plans to attend the services after pushback from Martinez’s family.

Adrian Martinez Garcia, also a Chicago Police officer, told those gathered that he was responsible for naming his brother — an homage to singer Enrique Iglesias — and the two were inseparable as kids.

“He was my baby brother, the most amazing person in the world to me,” Martinez Garcia said.

“Enrique will always be my little brother, but I will always look up to him,” he added. “His blood runs through my veins, and now he lives through me and I live for him.”

Chicago Police superintendent Larry Snelling gave another eulogy, offering words of comfort and gratitude to the Martinez’s family in the first row.

“Make no doubt about it: he was exemplary,” Snelling said. “Now, how did he become an exemplary officer? You first have to be an exemplary human being. You have to care. This is not just a job. This is a profession you take on knowing the risks and the challenges that you face.”

Snelling said Martinez’s fiancée — who he met at age 16 — described the fallen officer as “a real man.”

“Not because he was a tough guy, but because he was resilient, because he was caring, because he did extraordinary things,” Snelling added.

CPD Chaplain Fr. Dan Brandt told mourners that, in recent days, he’d visited with Martinez’s fellow officers in the Gresham District (6th) to learn more about him. Time and again, Brandt said, Martinez was called selfless, thoughtful, kind and generous.

“He was a very proud American, a true patriot, an unwavering servant,” Brandt said. “Today, as we reflect on these attributes, these adjectives, we can learn a lesson from Enrique and hopefully follow his fine example. Some of you have 30 years on the job or more. He had three, but what a fine, fine example.”

Authorities have said Martinez and his partner initially went to the area near the shooting scene for a bogus 911 call. As the officers were leaving, they saw a vehicle with three people in it double-parked in the 8000 block of South Ingleside.

Prosecutors have charged 23-year-old Darion C. Macmillian, of Harvey, with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of Martinez and another man, also in the car with Macmillian, who was also killed by the burst of gunfire.

Macmillian, who allegedly used a gun outfitted with an automatic “switch,” was ordered detained pending trial.

Video purported to capture the shooting, recorded by a neighbor, was quickly posted to social media.

The video shows the police officers repeatedly yelling “Stop reaching!” in the moments before the gunfire. McMillian allegedly fired, fatally striking Martinez and the 23-year-old driver sitting next to him.

“The level of danger this person poses to every single person in this community … is without measure,” Assistant State’s Attorney Anne McCord said.

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