Funeral Thursday for fallen Oak Park police officer Allan Reddins
CHICAGO (CBS) — A funeral will be held Thursday for fallen Oak Park Police Detective Allan Reddins.
A police procession will leave from Village Hall to the Apostolic Church of God around 9 a.m.
A wake will begin on Thursday at 10:30 a.m., followed by an 11 a.m. funeral service at the Apostolic Church of God in Chicago. Reddins will be buried afterward at a private service. Visitation for Reddins was held on Wednesday, at Leak & Sons Funeral Home.
On November 29, Reddins responded to a call of a person with a gun leaving Chase Bank, on Lake Street. He was shot and killed in the line of duty. He had been with the Oak Park Police Department since 2019.
The shooting marked the first line-of-duty death for an Oak Park police officer since 1938.
Murder charges filed against Jerell Thomas
Police announced that 37-year-old Jerell Thomas was charged with first-degree murder in Reddins' death. He's also charged with attempted murder of a peace officer, possession of a stolen firearm, and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.
Police said Thomas has an extensive criminal background, with multiple arrests for aggravated battery to a police officer, domestic battery, battery, and resisting a police officer.
Memorials grow for fallen detective
Oak Park residents continued to honor Detective Reddins with memorials.
A candlelight vigil took over the courtyard at Village Hall, located at 123 Madison St., on Friday, Dec. 6. This vigil marked one-week since Reddin's death.
Flags flew at half-staff across Oak Park in memory of Reddins. Neighbors tied blue ribbons around the trees in their front yard, and urged others on social media to do the same.
One memorial started alongside the scene of the shooting, and more than doubled in just a few days.
"He loved our community so much that he became a police officer here and gave his life for all of us," said Jennifer Okonma of Oak Park.
Purple and black bunting were also draped across the Oak Park police station.
