The bounty for information leading to the capture and conviction of the alleged killer of Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca has surged to a staggering $100,000, officials announced. Accused of the murder is one Xavier Tate Jr., who remains at large despite the issuance of an arrest warrant.
A day after the Chicago Police Department circulated new images of the suspect, Cook County Crime Stoppers and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms have come forward, pooling a reward of $25,000 for the arrest. Joining the pursuit with an additional $75,000 are entities with a deep investment in the case—the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation, the FBI, and the Fraternal Order of Police, according to information from NBC Chicago.
The suspect, a 22-year-old from Aurora, allegedly used a .40-caliber handgun in what appears to have been a carjacking turned lethal. Officer Huesca was found near his home in the Gage Park neighborhood last Sunday, fatally shot and clad in his uniform just after completing a shift. His vehicle was subsequently stolen but later recovered. Details about the suspect note that Tate Jr. has distinctive tattoos, including the word "majesty" under a crown on the right side of his neck and others on his chest and body. Known also by the nickname “Zay,” Tate Jr. has ties to multiple Illinois locations and is considered armed and dangerous, as detailed by the ABC7 Chicago report.
Community members have erected a somber memorial adorned with flowers and balloons at the site where Officer Huesca’s life was violently taken. "It's kind of hard to move on from it, because it's like, anything could happen at this point," Sarah Soto, a nearby resident, expressed her concerns to ABC7 Chicago. In the wake of Huesca's death, the community has been ensnared in a sense of dread and unease, punctuated by prayer and hopes for justice—a sentiment shared by Alex Gonzalez, another local, who added, "We always include them, the family, in our prayers."
As the manhunt intensifies, law enforcement urges anyone with information to come forward and call 1-800-535-STOP, the CPD hotline at 833-408-0069, or report anonymously online at [email protected]. Authorities have promised confidentiality, equipping informants with a code number to redeem their reward potentially. The visitation for Officer Huesca will be open to the public at the Blake Lamb Funeral Home, with his funeral scheduled for Monday at St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel.
