Family and friends paid their respects to fallen Chicago Police Officer Enrique Martinez at his visitation on Sunday, nearly two weeks after he was shot and killed in the line of duty.
The line for visitation stretched around the outside of Blake-Lamb Funeral Home in Oak Lawn as law enforcement members throughout the state, community members and those who knew Martinez gathered to share their condolences.
The 26-year-old, who was recently engaged, was in his third year on the Chicago Police Department. According to authorities, Martinez was fatally shot on Nov. 4 during a traffic stop near Ingleside Avenue and East 82nd Street.
Court records revealed the suspect had a fully automatic switch to rapidly fire and was on electronic monitoring at the time but had disabled his ankle bracelet.
Martinez was the fifth Chicago police officer killed by gunfire in the past three years.
"Yet another young officer lost far too soon, who was trying to right by this city and it’s citizens," said Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara.
Police said hundreds more have been fired upon, something the former chief of detectives calls a cancer in our society.
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"It's like Chicago is suffering from a form of cancer," said Eugene Roy, former Chicago Police chief of detectives. "It started off mildly enough but now its grown into a full fledged disease and it's taking the lives of our citizens, school kids and even police officers."
The pain was especially hard for Gold Star Families who lost loved ones in the line of duty.
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"We don’t have to keep seeing this, every six months, every year," said Sandra Wortham, a Gold Star Family member. "It’s disgusting."
In a change of course, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said Saturday he won't attend Martinez's funeral - adhering to a request from the fallen officer's family. The mayor previously indicated he would attend. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker has said he won't attend - at the family's wishes.
Martinez will be laid to rest at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel in Chicago.
