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Ella Grace French
Agency patch
Police Officer

Ella Grace French

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Felonious
United States flag Illinois flag
End of Watch August 7, 2021
Age 29
Tour of Duty 3 yrs 3 mo
The Vigil Panel 176 ›
Gender Female
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 570

Incident

Police Officer Ella French was shot and killed while she and two other officers conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle containing three subjects near the intersection of West 63rd Street and South Bell Avenue at 9:00 p.m.

During the traffic stop, the driver admitted he had marijuana on him. When Officer French asked the subjects to exit the vehicle, one of the subjects struggled with one of the officers, refusing to put down items in his hand and sit on the curb. The driver exited the vehicle and fled. One of the officers left the scene to chase the driver. As the struggle ensued, Officer French came to the officer's aid. The subject opened fire, striking Officer French and her partner, who had not drawn their weapons. The officer returned to the scene when he heard gunshots. The subject fired at him but missed. He returned fire and struck the subject before the subject fled.

Both officers were taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center, where Officer French was pronounced dead. Her partner was admitted in critical condition. He was shot five times and lost his right eye and parts of his skull.

All three subjects in the vehicle fled the scene. Two subjects were arrested shortly after the incident, and a third subject was taken into custody the following day. The driver was sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, aggravated battery, and obstruction of justice. Another subject, who was not in the vehicle that night, pleaded guilty in federal court to straw purchasing the firearm used to kill Officer French and was sentenced to 30 months in prison. The gunman was convicted of first-degree murder, attempted murder of a peace officer, and possession/use of a firearm as a felon and was sentenced to life without parole. He was also sentenced to an additional 50 years for the attempted murder of the other officer and seven years for being a felon possessing a weapon that night.

Officer French had served with the Chicago Police Department for almost 3-1/2 years and was assigned to the Community Safety Team.

Survivors

She is survived by her mother and brother.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer French gave the Chicago Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer French.

— 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 7, 2021
Tour of Duty 3 yrs 3 mo
Age 29
Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Ella is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 2021, 90 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 66th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Ella was 29. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Ella had served 3.2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where she stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 9.5% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

Her people

Chicago Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Ella among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Ella Grace French

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch August 7, 2021

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 36-W

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