Fallen Officer Thor Soderberg Honored
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago Police Officer Thor Soderberg died on the job, and now he is being honored for his bravery.
Soderberg was shot and killed on July 7, as he walked to his car at the end of a shift at the police facility at 61st Street and Racine Avenue. He was shot with his own weapon.
At a ceremony Tuesday morning, Mayor Richard M. Daley and Chicago Police Supt. Jody Weis gave Soderberg's star a permanent home in the superintendent's Honored Star Case, in the lobby of Chicago Police Headquarters at 3510 S. Michigan Ave.
Soderberg, 43, was a veteran of the Chicago Police Department for more than a decade. He had been an instructor at the Police Education and Training Academy for two years when he was killed.
He was also a veteran of Operation Desert Storm, as well as a triathlete.
After he had gotten off of work in Englewood, Officer Soderberg was approached by a man from behind. The offender struggled with the officer, taking his service weapon and shooting Soderberg in the neck and chest.
Police say after the offender shot Officer Soderberg, he took his service weapon and committed an armed robbery. When police arrived on the scene, the offender fired at them. Police shot back wounding him. The offender survived.
The suspect, Bryant Brewer, 24, is now awaiting trial in Soderberg's murder.
Soderberg was one of five Chicago Police officers killed by gunfire last year. The others were:
--Officer Thomas Wortham IV, who was shot and killed in a robbery near his parents' home in the 8400 block of South King Drive on May 20.
--Officer Michael Bailey, who was shot and killed while cleaning out his car at his home near 74th Street and Evans Avenue on July 18.
--Officer David Blake was shot and killed in his personal vehicle in the 2900 block of West Seipp Street on Nov. 25.
--Officer Michael Flisk, who was shot and killed as he investigated a burglary in a garage behind the 8100 block of South Burnham Avenue on Nov. 26. Also killed in the shooting was retired Chicago Housing Authority police officer Stephen Peters.
