Roll of Honor

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Police Officer

Eric D. Lee

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch August 19, 2001

Age 37

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

Badge 16947

The Vigil Panel 148 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 570

Incident

Police Officer Eric Lee was shot and killed as he and two other tactical officers attempted to aid a citizen.

Officer Lee and his partners were on a special patrol in the Englewood neighborhood when they spotted a man being beaten in an alley in the 6300 block of South Carpenter Street. They rushed to assist the victim and announced they were police. One of the fleeing assailants unexpectedly opened fire, striking Officer Lee in the head.

Several suspects were apprehended and held for questioning. The shooter was charged with the murder of a police officer. On January 23rd, 2004, Officer Lee's killer was found guilty of first-degree murder and he was subsequently sentenced to life in prison. On November 22nd, 2005, following many continuances, the Cook County Criminal Court judge denied subject's motions for a new trial.

Officer Lee was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Chicago Police Department for nine years. He had volunteered to be a tactical officer, an especially dangerous line of police work. He had passed up his once-every-month options to “bid out” of Englewood for easier duty in a less stressful district. Friends said he liked the people of Englewood and enjoyed the uphill struggle to make their lives safer. Officer Lee became the fourth tactical officer to be shot to death in Chicago in two years.

He is survived by his wife, 6-year-old daughter, parents, two brothers, and sister.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, 6-year-old daughter, parents, two brothers, and sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-5734DCFA
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
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. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Eric 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.
Police Officer Lee gave the Chicago Police Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Thank you 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 August 19, 2001

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

Age 37

Badge Number 16947

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Military Service

Eric D. Lee served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Eric D. Lee is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Chicago Police Department, 396 of 571 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this agency's fallen.

Chicago Police Department

396

of 571 officers

69.4% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious