The progressive mayor of Chicago tried to intimidate his way to the funeral of a murdered police officer, only backing down when he was warned that the victim’s sister would throw him out.
Brandon Johnson only scrapped his plan to attend Luis Huesca’s funeral after the slain 30-year-old police officer’s sister threatened to “make a scene” if she saw him.
This is according to Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara, who revealed the behind-the-scenes saga in an interview with Chicago Sun Times.
On Monday, hundreds of people attended the funeral of the fallen Huesca officer, who was shot and killed during a brutal carjacking while returning home from work last week.
But Mayor Johnson, who initially said he would attend the funeral in the schedule released Sunday night, notified reporters at the last minute that he would not be present.
Huesca’s family is distraught that their loved one’s killer is on the loose and angry at Johnson for his progressive stance, which they say is worsening violent crime across the Windy City.
The change in Johnson’s plans came after Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza wrote in a morning post on X that Huesca’s mother asked her to tell Johnson he was “not welcome” at the funeral.
Luis Huesca, 30, was shot multiple times in the Gage Park neighborhood on April 21 and was pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Mayor Brandon Johnson (pictured) attempted to force his way into the funeral of slain Chicago police officer Luis Huesca, despite family telling him to stay away, according to reports.
On Monday, hundreds of people attended the funeral of the fallen Huesca officer, who was shot and killed during a brutal carjacking while returning home from work last week.
Huesca, 30, was shot several times in the Gage Park neighborhood on April 21 and was pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
He served as a Chicago police officer for six years and was just two days shy of his 31st birthday. He was heading home from work when he was shot and killed.
Caschaus Tate, 20, was arrested and charged with felony aggravated unlawful use of a weapon last week in connection with the shooting.
He is described as an “associate” of Xavier L. Tate Jr., 22, wanted for first-degree murder in the death of Officer Huesca.
Xavier Tate was not yet in police custody Monday night.
In an X post shared shortly before the funeral began, Mendoza wrote: ‘Last night at the Ofc. During the visit to Huesca, her heartbroken mother asked Representative Angélica Guerrero Cuellar and me to please tell the mayor that he was not welcome at her son’s funeral.
According to Catanzara, Huesca’s family had delivered their message to Mayor Johnson last Wednesday to stay away.
“Someone close to the family” called Catanzara, saying they “didn’t want certain people in their services,” he said.
Among the unwanted members were Johnson and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who immediately agreed to honor the family’s wish.
The mayor’s office “initially agreed” but began “pushing back” on Thursday, Catanzara said.
‘The last sentence Lily said to my lobbyist was: ‘If he [Johnson] “If he shows up there, I’ll make a scene and kick him out myself,” Catanzara recalled.
He ‘thought everything was settled’ until Huesca’s family texted him on Sunday: ‘Is the mayor really coming?’
The progressive mayor only backed down when Huesca’s sister threatened to “make a scene,” according to Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara, who revealed the behind-the-scenes saga in an interview with the Chicago Sun Times.
He rushed to the funeral home, only to learn from someone from the Chicago Police Department that the family had been told that “the mayor has an obligation to be here,” Catanzara said.
He recalled telling the police officer: ‘You’re lying to the family. There’s nothing mandatory about the mayor’s attendance, and you’re embarrassed that you’re even trying to tell the family that this is the only option they have.
‘At one point, there was an implication that the honorary funeral is tied to the mayor’s attendance. That was the feeling of guilt that we are imposing on this family,” Catanzara said.
During a conversation with CPD Supt. Larry Snelling, on the phone, a police officer told Huesca’s mother in Spanish that it was “mandatory for the mayor to show up,” Catazara recalled.
At Sunday night’s wake, Huesca’s mother again reaffirmed her message with Mendoza and state representative Angélica Guerrero-Cuellar.
“They didn’t want the mayor to attend because they don’t believe he supports the police,” said Abdón Pallasch, Mendoza’s spokesman.
Still, the mayor’s office released a schedule Sunday night, saying Johnson would attend the funeral.
According to Catazara, the mayor’s advance team showed up at the Shrine Chapel of St. Rita Cascia hours before the funeral on Monday morning.
“It is not too late to honor fallen officer Huesca by respecting his mother’s wishes,” Mendoza wrote in a post published 30 minutes before the funeral began, asking the mayor to honor the family’s wishes.
Mayor Johnson, who initially said he would attend the funeral in the schedule released Sunday night, notified reporters at the last minute that he would not be present.
CPD Superintendent. Larry Snelling was reportedly on the phone when a police officer told Huesca’s mother in Spanish that it was “mandatory that the mayor had to show up.”
“Our family is so frustrated and angry that our brother is not here,” Huesca’s sister, Lily O’Brien (second from right), said in a video released by the FOP before the funeral.
An updated calendar posted at 8:51 a.m. said Johnson would not be present at the funeral in Huesca.
“Our family is so frustrated and angry that our brother is not here,” Huesca’s sister, Lily O’Brien, said in a video released by the FOP before the funeral.
‘He had someone else who murdered him [who] He’s running and he’s still free. The anger we feel at how violent Chicago has become. How this is now the status quo.
‘How is this normalized? This week it’s my brother. Next week, it will be your brother or someone else’s son or someone else’s mother,’ Obrien said.
Johnson said in a written statement Monday morning: “We continue to send our deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of Officer Luis Huesca as they recover from the loss of their beloved son, nephew, brother and friend.”
“As mayor, I pledge to continue supporting our police and first responders, uniting our city, and remaining committed to working with everyone to build a better, stronger, safer Chicago.”