Following Saturday night's tragic shooting of two Chicago Police officers during a traffic stop — which claimed the life of 29-year-old mother Ella French and left her partner fighting for his life — the city's mayor received a cold welcome when she paid a visit to the hospital where French's partner was being treated.
Dozens of officers gathered at the University of Chicago Medical Center to support and pray for their fallen colleagues in a show of unity that was then interrupted by Mayor Lightfoot's appearance.
When Chicago's Democrat Mayor showed up, more than two dozen police officers turned their backs to Lori Lightfoot in a sobering display of disapproval for the way she's talked about and handled police in the Windy City, largely turning her back on own back on the city's law enforcement officers.
Lightfoot's official account had tweeted in the wake of the deadly traffic stop that some "say we do too much" for the police, blaming guns rather than the criminals who choose to use guns for violent, illegal actions.
The officers' show of disappointment in the city's mayor was, clearly, a bad look for Lightfoot, who responded with a statement that did nothing to apologize or show greater support for the law enforcement officers who risk their lives to protect Chicago's streets.
A group of Chicago Police officers turned their back on Mayor Lori Lightfoot when she visited the hospital to see two officers who were shot on Saturday. This is the mayor’s office statement about the incident: pic.twitter.com/CLdI7q6qwO
— Gregory Pratt (@royalpratt) August 9, 2021
"The Mayor was present at the emergency room to offer support and condolences to the families involved and the hundreds of line officers and exempts who were there, which she did," claimed the Mayor's office. "In a time of tragedy, emotions run high and that is to be expected. The Mayor spoke to a range of officers that tragic night and sensed the overwhelming sentiment was about concern for their fallen colleagues."
Just over one month before Officer French and her partner came under assault, Mayor Lightfoot told a reporter that "crime is not out of control in our city. In fact, crime is on the decline."