Anna Kochakian Charged With Vandalizing Memorial To Fallen CPD Officer Ella French Last Summer, Hauled Off In Wounded Officer Carlos Yanez's Handcuffs
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A Chicago woman has been charged with vandalizing a memorial to fallen Chicago Police Officer Ella French last August.
Illinois State Police announced Wednesday that Anna Kochakian, 26, has been charged with criminal damage to property for defacement of a police memorial – a Class 4 felony.
Video surfaced on social media showing someone vandalizing a memorial to fallen Chicago Police Officer Ella French, who was shot and killed during a traffic stop in West Englewood on Aug. 7 of last year.
Videos on Twitter, which were posted to a page that has since been deleted, show someone attempting to knock over a memorial inside the Thompson Center with a "Back The Blue" wreath and photo of Officer French.
When the attempt to knock over the memorial was unsuccessful, the person filming grabbed the photo of French from the stand and balled it up while walking away.
The footage was posted on Twitter just a day after Officer French was laid to rest.
On Wednesday, after a complete investigation, state police obtained an arrest warrant for Kochakian.
State police noted that when Kochakian was arrested by Chicago Police, officers used the handcuffs that belonged to Officer Carlos Yanez Jr., who was shot and wounded in the same incident in which French was killed.
"This was a moment of justice for Ella, her family, the Chicago Police Department and all those who knew and loved Ella," police Supt. David Brown tweeted.
Kochakian is due for a bond hearing on Thursday.
