Thousands of mourners were expected to attend or watch the funeral service on Thursday for fallen chicago”>Chicago< Ella French, who was crime”>shot< during a traffic stop earlier this month.
Loved ones, colleagues and public officials gathered for the 10 a.m. service at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel, which was also livestreamed on the Chicago Police Department’s social media platforms. Cardinal Blase Cupich delivered the homily at the funeral Mass.
CHICAGO OFFICER INJURED IN SHOOTING THAT KILLED ELLA FRENCH SPEAKS OUT FOR FIRST TIME
On Wednesday afternoon, thousands visited the same South Side church to pay their respects during the afternoon visitation.
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Chicago policer officers salute the colors as the body of slain Chicago police officer Ella French arrives at the St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, for a wake later today and funeral Thursday, in Chicago. French was killed and her partner was seriously wounded during an Aug. 7 traffic stop on the city’s South Side. \ (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
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The body of slain Chicago police officer Ella French is carried into the St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2021, for a wake later today and funeral Thursday, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
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Chicago Police Department officer Ella French. (Facebook)
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Police officer Ella French was among those shot and killed this past weekend in Chicago. (Chicago Police)
And during a vigil on Tuesday, the 29-year-old officer’s brother, Andrew French, described how his sister “loved hard and she loved this city.”
“She loved everything about it except for the nasty parts that we all know,” Andrew French said. “And she made a point of becoming a police officer to try and change those things.”
French was killed and another officer was critically injured on Aug. 7 when a man riding in a vehicle that the officers had pulled over because of an expired license plate opened fire.
ELLA FRENCH: CHICAGO MOURNS SLAIN POLICE OFFICER AS BROTHER DETAILS HOW ‘SHE LOVED THIS CITY’
The suspect in the shooting, 21-year-old Monty Morgan, was shot in the abdomen by a third officer. He was later charged with first-degree murder of a peace officer and attempted murder.
His brother, 22-year-old Eric Morgan, who prosecutors have said was driving the vehicle, was also arrested. He faces gun charges and an obstruction of justice charge. Both were being held in Cook County Jail without bail.
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A third man accused of acting as a straw purchaser to buy the gun that was used to kill French faces federal gun charges.
Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report, as well as The Associated Press.
