The Chicago Police Department made an arrest last night after the murder of CDP Officer Luis Huesca, 30.
Asked for comment about the arrest, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson ran away.
Then, he made a rather strange excuse for the interaction.
In a video released Tuesday, a CBS Chicago reporter asked about Huesca’s death… only to watch Johnson suddenly flee.
“Mayor, we just want a comment about the arrest last night in relation to Officer Huesca,” he said, before watching the figure run to his car. “He ran!”
Another person, offscreen, also chided the figure for running.
“Mr. Mayor! Mr. Mayor! Will you please wait?” the second person asked. “Why do you have to run from us, Mr. Mayor? Mr. Mayor, why would you run from us?”
After the video’s viral moment, the mayor made a stunning claim.
The mayor’s office said Johnson wasn’t the person running away from the questions in the video, and that the person on video was a citizen running to catch his chauffeur.
“That isn’t Mayor Brandon Johnson in the video and the person that is being filmed running was trying to catch the car before it departed,” Johnson’s office told CBS News in a statement.
CBS wasn’t buying it. “As you can see the mayor and his detail left in a hurry and did not answer Q’s.”
Watch the video and decide for yourself —
UPDATE:
The mayors office responds, as you can see the mayor and his detail left in a hurry and did not answer q’s.Johnsons office says, “That isn’t Mayor Brandon Johnson in the video and the person that is being filmed running was trying to catch the car before it departed.” https://t.co/cdCEziz6x2
— Darius Johnson (DJ) (@DariusJohnsonTV) May 2, 2024
After attending National Day of Prayer event, @ChicagosMayor leaves thru alley and while reporters try – he refuses to stop to take questions pic.twitter.com/rK6BrXaem9
— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) May 2, 2024
County prosecutors announced Thursday that a 22-year-old man had been charged with the first-degree murder of Officer Luis Huesca. He’s set to appear in court Friday morning.
He was arrested on Wednesday evening by the Chicago Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force
A Cook County judge had issued the arrest warrant on April 26.
Huesca had been with the police department for six years.
On April 21, Huesca was found outside with multiple gunshot wounds and was later pronounced dead at a hospital. He was wearing other clothes over his uniform. Superintendent Larry Snelling has described that mode of dress as common for off-duty officers.
Hundreds of people lined the streets for Officer Huesca’s funeral procession Monday. He was laid to rest following church services in Chicago.