BlueLivesMatterBY COWGIRL
According to The Chicago Tribune, Officer Raymond Murrell was responding to a call at around 9:30 PM for for a theft in-progress involving four people at a store. He was heading west on Army Trail Road in his unmarked police SUV when he crashed at Army Trail Road and Cardinal Avenue. Bloomingdale firefighters and other Officers extricated Officer Murrell from his vehicle, which was severely damaged, and he was transported to Adventist GlenOaks Hospital, where he died.
Officer Murrell had been on the force for less than one year and was the Bloomingdale Police Department’s first Officer to die in the line of duty. He was also the first DuPage County Officer killed in more than 20 years. Frank Giammarese, Bloomingdale Police Chief, said that Officer Murrell “loved being a Bloomingdale police officer” and “that he will be sadly missed.” The Chief said that Officer Murrell was a “beloved member” of the “tightknit” Bloomingdale PD family, and that he “was a shining star who had a bright future.” He and another Officer were recently awarded for saving the life of a heart-attack victim.
It was raining heavily at the time and weather is believed to have been a contributing factor, according to ABC7Chicago. No other vehicles were involved and no one else was injured. The crash remains under investigation. Chief Giammarese said that grief counseling would be provided to all Officers, including those who tried to pull Officer Murrell from his vehicle.
Police Chief Giammarese said that Officer Raymond Murrell had wanted to be a police officer all of his life, and “died doing what he loved.” Officer Murrell attended the Suburban Law Enforcement Academy at College of DuPage and worked for the Cook County Corrections Department before serving the Bloomingdale community.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Bloomingdale Police Officer Raymond Murrell, both blood and blue. Godspeed, sir, we will take it from here. Thank you for your service.Officer Raymond Murrell, your life mattered.