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Patrolman

Oreste E. Gonzalez

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch October 8, 1953

Age 27

Badge 6263

The Vigil Panel 197 · Column 3 · Line 18 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Military Memorials 1 Also Remembered Department 570

Incident

Patrolman Oreste Gonzalez was shot and killed near the intersection of West 74th Street and South Western Avenue while transported a robbery suspect he and his partner had just arrested. A man had just robbed a taxi driver of cash and the taxicab, which he abandoned several blocks away. As the officers were driving to the abandoned cab they saw the suspect emerge from a restaurant and stopped him. They searched him but failed to find a concealed .25 caliber handgun. As they drove the man to the police station he produced the gun and opened fire, shooting both officers. Despite being mortally wounded, Patrolman Gonzales returned fire and killed the subject. The subject who shot him was recently paroled. Patrolman Gonzalez was a WWII veteran of the U.S. Army Air Corps.

Survivors

He was survived by his expectant wife.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Oreste is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Gonzalez served with the Chicago Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Chicago Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Chicago, Cook County, IL

Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 8, 1953

Age 27

Badge Number 6263

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Oreste E. Gonzalez served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Oreste is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1953, 72 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 98th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Oreste was 27. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded