Chicago Police Officer shot and killed

Update: As of 9:00PM July 7, 2010, there is no news yet of the officers name.

Chicago Sun-Times

Sources: Chicago Police officer killed with own weapon

July 7, 2010

BY FRANK MAIN Staff Reporter
A Chicago Police officer — an academy instructor who volunteered his time by serving as a guide to a blind triathlete — was shot and killed with his own weapon this afternoon during an apparent robbery outside a South Side police facility, sources said.

The 43-year-old officer was killed at 3:48 p.m. at 61st and Racine, outside the old Englewood District police station that is now used by the department’s targeted response and gang enforcement units. At least one other officer shot the suspected robber in the chest, but he was not killed.

Sources said the suspected robber took the officers gun. Apparently, the officer, a veteran of almost 11 years, was killed with his own weapon.

Police have not released the slain officer’s name, pending notification of next of kin.

“I’m still shaking, shaking,” said DePaul University Professor Mazen Istanbouli, a blind triathlete who was guided by the slain officer. “It’s disturbing news. He was a great man. He exemplified the best police officer I have ever seen.”

Out of friendship for the officer, Istanbouli had participated in this year’s “Run to Remember” honoring fallen Chicago Police officers.

This afternoon he was mourning that officer, who was temporarily assigned for a week to work the street as part of police Supt. Jody Weis’ summer anti-crime initiative.

Istanbouli, who teaches political science, said the officer had volunteered to guide him through triathlons in Chicago and New York about two years ago.

“He always said, ‘This medal is not for me. I want you to get a medal,’ ” Istanbouli said. “He always thought of others before himself. We were friends.”

D.L. Buckner, 23, of the 6100 block of South Elizabeth — a block away from the shooting — said he was sitting on his porch when he heard five shots.

“Then it stopped,” Buckner said. “And then we heard five more shots. And then it stopped again. And that’s when we heard a whole bunch of police cars flying over there. First we thought it was firecrackers. It’s tripped out.

“It’s crazy. It’s sad to see anybody get killed, especially somebody who works around here.”

Alejandro “Alex” Valadez was the last Chicago Police officer killed in the line of duty. He was fatally shot on June 1, 2009 — also in the Englewood District.

An off-duty officer — Thomas Wortham IV — was killed in May outside his parents’ South Side home, allegedly by thieves trying to steal his motorcycle.
http://is.gd/djq4x

Update: 10:00PM July, 7, 2010 ABCNEWS has announced the name of the victim. His name is Officer Thor Soderberg, 43 years old. God Bless him and his family.