[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 42 (Monday, March 6, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S645]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                 Honoring Officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso

  Madam President, on a separate subject matter, the city of Chicago, 
which I represent, is a city in mourning today.
  Last Thursday, Chicago police officer Andres Vasquez-Lasso was killed 
while responding to a domestic violence 911 call that ended in a chase 
and an exchange of gunfire with the suspect. Officer Vasquez-Lasso was 
32 years old. He had been on the police force for 5 years. He is 
married. The man accused of killing him is 18 years old.
  Officer Vasquez-Lasso had chased this man a short distance on foot 
when the man reportedly turned on him, pointed a gun at him, and killed 
him. That chase ended on the playground of an elementary school in the 
city of Chicago where neighborhood kids were playing. As the bullets 
flew, the children took cover under slides and other playground 
equipment. Officer Vasquez-Lasso was shot three times--in the arm, leg, 
and head.
  He was the first Chicago police officer killed in the line of duty 
since Officer Ella French was murdered 18 months ago during a traffic 
stop. They had a memorial service for Officer French. My wife and I 
went to it. It was at St. Rita High School in the Beverly section of 
Chicago. I have never seen a larger outpouring of men and women in 
uniform come and pay tribute to this officer who was killed in a 
traffic stop.
  I was there with my wife, and we had a personal feeling about the 
occasion once we went inside, saw her family, and heard more about her 
life. I got to know her mom. And when the time came, we picked a 
program to help police across the United States, and we are working to 
name it after her in her honor for serving not only the city of Chicago 
but the country in protecting us. Sadly, here we are again.
  Officer Vasquez-Lasso just didn't protect the Southwest Side 
neighborhood where he served. He actually lived there. He and his wife 
had bought a home only 2 and a half miles from where he was killed 
about a year and a half ago. And I want to say clearly for the record 
something that needs to be said: Officer Vasquez-Lasso was an immigrant 
to this country. He came here from Colombia. He became a citizen and 
became a police officer, and he gave his life for the people who live 
in this country.
  On this Wednesday night, police officers, other first responders, and 
community members lined the streets to salute the ambulance carrying 
his body as it drove slowly from the hospital where he died to the 
county medical examiner's office.
  On Thursday, black bunting draped the entrance to the 8th district 
headquarters where Officer Vasquez-Lasso was assigned. Several vigils 
have been held around the city of Chicago since his death. The largest 
was a candlelight prayer vigil Thursday evening in Hale Park, attended 
by the officer's wife and mother. Hundreds of police officers, 
community members, and friends came out to pay their respects. A friend 
at the prayer vigil recalled that Officer Vasquez-Lasso was ``always a 
proper man.'' A fellow officer said, ``He was always smiling.''
  Today, a memorial stands on the block where he was shot down. People 
drop off flowers and notes and other tributes. A rosary hangs on the 
fence. Illinois Governor J.P. Pritzker has ordered all flags in our 
State to fly at half-staff until Officer Vasquez-Lasso is laid to rest 
on Thursday.
  These are especially difficult times to be a member of law 
enforcement. A growing arsenal of high-powered guns in the hands of 
criminals and domestic abusers makes policing more dangerous than it 
has ever been. Domestic violence calls are always fraught with danger 
for police, victims, and innocent people standing by.
  At the suspect's bail hearing, Judge Mary Marubio noted that danger 
when she said:

       This case, from start to finish, it begins in violence and 
     it ends in violence.

  The director of a local domestic violence prevention organization 
said, ``Your heart breaks because it was all so preventable.''
  Madam President, for the sake of law enforcement officers who protect 
our communities and the victims of violence, we must do more to break 
the cycle of violence that kills far too many and leaves many more 
scarred. We must--must--do more to keep guns out of the hands of 
criminals and others who flatly should not have them.
  The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that Congress passed last year 
in the wake of the horrific Uvalde school shooting made important 
progress, but more is needed to protect our communities and our law 
enforcement officers.
  In closing, I want to offer my condolences to Officer Vasquez-Lasso's 
family, especially his wife Milena Estepa, his mother Rocio Lasso, his 
sister, and niece, as well as his fellow officers in the Chicago Police 
Department, and his many, many friends.
  Officer Vasquez-Lasso gave his life protecting his community. He was 
protecting the children on that playground and the families living in 
the community that he personally called home.
  We join the city of Chicago in saluting his courage and mourning his 
loss.