Chicago Police arrested four teenagers and charged them with murder in the fatal shooting of one of their officers, who was shot while she was going home from work last weekend.
On Wednesday, department officials announced the arrest of the teens for the first-degree murder of Aréanah Preston, a 24-year-old Chicago police officer.
According to Interim Superintendent Eric Carter, Preston was in uniform and on her way home from work early Saturday when four young men inside a stolen vehicle passed her. The car stopped, and three of them ran toward Preston, opening fire and prompting Preston to fire back. When Preston fell to the ground, the teens stole her gun and ran back to the car before making off.
Another officer responding to an unrelated traffic crash near the scene of the shooting found Preston lying on the ground. According to Carter, first responders took her to a hospital where doctors pronounced her dead.
The suspects include 19-year olds Trevell Breeland and Joseph Brooks, 18-year-old Jakwon Buchanan and a 16-year-old minor who will be charged as an adult. The youngest suspect allegedly bragged to a friend about the shooting in a phone call.
Carter also said the four suspects are linked to several other alleged crimes in the hours leading up to the murder. They will also be charged with armed robbery, motor vehicle theft, burglary, arson, and weapons violations.
On Tuesday, the Chicago Police Department held a vigil and balloon release to honor their murdered colleague. Carter said that Preston was a beloved daughter, sister, and friend who had wanted to make a difference in the world. He added that her violent death was a tragedy that underscores the city’s urgent need for public safety.
In a statement on Saturday, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot echoed Carter’s words, saying that her top priority is to build a safer Chicago where residents can live and work without the constant threat of violence.
A National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund report says that 64 officers died from shootings while in the line of duty last year. The organization also warned earlier this year that police officers are being shot at a higher rate than a decade ago, which it called a “disturbing trend.”
