Mayor Johnson plans to attend funeral of Chicago Police Officer Enrique Martinez despite being asked not to
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor Brandon Johnson announced Friday that he will attend the funeral for fallen Chicago Police Officer Enrique Martinez next week—despite claims that Martinez's family asking him not to do so.
Martinez's funeral is set for Monday of next week. In a statement, the Mayor's office said Mayor Johnson plans to attend the funeral alongside Supt. Larry Snelling.
"The Mayor of Chicago will attend all honors funeral services for every Police Officer, Firefighter or EMT who loses their life in the line of duty. These official honor services are solemn moments to honor the sacrifice of our officers and first responders," the Mayor's office said. "It is the Mayor's honor to support the officers of the entire Chicago Police Department, especially in moments of grief."
But in a video posted earlier this week, Chicago Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 7 President John Catanzara said Officer Martinez's family had asked Mayor Johnson and Gov. JB Pritzker not to attend. Catanzara said this had also happened with the funeral for Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca—who was shot and killed back in April.
"Governor Pritzker rightly immediately acknowledged that and said he would not attend, and honored those family wishes. Mayor Johnson did not," Catanzara said of Huesca's funeral. "Repeatedly, Mayor Johnson's team—and sadly, the Chicago Police Department—tried to convince the family that the mayor was needed and obligated to be at this funeral as part of the honors package."
Catanzara said this was not true—playing a clip of President-elect Donald Trump talking about "fake news" to emphasize his point.
The mayor did not end up going to Huesca's funeral, but Catanzara said the mayor's pattern of insisting on attending a fallen officer's funeral is now repeating itself.
"Well, here we are again—with another fallen hero, another funeral, and another family who has been very clear—they do not want the governor or the mayor to attend," Catanzara said in the video. "Thank you, Governor Pritzker, for acknowledging and respecting the family's wishes. Shame on you, Mayor Johnson, for not either publicly acknowledging it, or calling the family directly, extending your condolences, and telling them you will honor their wishes and not attend the wake or the funeral."
Catanzara said it was not he or the union who was asking Mayor Johnson not to attend, and he was "simply the messenger for the family."
The video was before Mayor Johnson said he did indeed plan to attend.
Police said Darion McMillian, 23, shot and killed Martinez, and the driver of the car McMillian was in, during a traffic stop in the East Chatham neighborhood a week ago Monday.
McMillian was on electronic monitoring at the time of the shooting because of an arrest involving a drug test.
Martinez was engaged to be married.
'The visitation for Martinez will be held Sunday at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home, followed by a mass on Monday, Nov. 18 at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel.
