Flags throughout Illinois are being flown at half-staff to honor a fallen hero — Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca. Governor JB Pritzker has ordered the somber tribute for the 30-year-old who died tragically in the line of duty.

Officer Huesca lost his life on Sunday, April 21, 2024, as he was returning home from a shift in Gage Park. Declarations from the state have called for the lowering of both the United States flags and the State flags across all buildings housing state personnel, beginning at sunrise on Wednesday, April 24, until sunset on Monday, April 29, 2024.

The directive from the Governor's office reverberates through communities, attesting to the weight of loss that is felt not just by a family, not just by a force, but by an entire state. Officer Huesca's sacrifice and his commitment to serving others were, on this day, the solemn notes resonating in the half-mast position of the symbols of our nation and state.

The Department of Central Management Services has communicated this mandate, ensuring that all entities covered by the Illinois Flag Display Act pay their respects accordingly. According to the official state announcement, more information on the flag honors can be found on the state's website. It's times like these that the community comes together, in gestures both grand and minute, to acknowledge the profound void left by one of its protectors.