Suspect charged in killing of Chicago police officer faces additional charges

The suspect charged with the first-degree murder of Chicago Police Officer Luis Huesca faces additional charges of aggravated vehicular hijacking and possession of a stolen firearm, Chicago police announced Thursday afternoon.

The announcement by authorities comes ahead of a Friday morning news conference where State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Police Superintendent Larry Snelling are expected to reveal additional information.

A news release from the state’s attorney’s office Thursday only states that their office approved first-degree murder charges against 22-year old Xavier L. Tate Jr.

The 22-year old is expected to make his first court appearance Friday on the new formal charges.

Authorities arrested Tate Wednesday afternoon on a first-degree murder warrant at an apartment complex in suburban Glendale Heights – 10 days after the shooting death of Huesca.

Video captured by a neighbor shows Tate being led down the stairs of the apartment complex in handcuffs. He was flanked by officers and led away to a car.

Alderman Brian Hopkins, who chairs the city council’s public safety committee, told NBC 5 Thursday that he’d learn Tate had spent time in Iowa before returning to Illinois where his arrest was made.

“We know for a period of time he was in the state of Iowa – in the city of Dubuque, Iowa under surveillance and when he came back into Illinois and the decision was made to apprehend him – the U-S Marshals were involved. They are good at finding a fugitive and piecing together where he was hiding,” Hopkins said.

Hopkins said the state’s attorney office is likely moving carefully in handling Tate’s case because it involves a high-profile death of a Chicago police officer.

“For all of us who were at the memorial service and talked to his family, he wasn’t just a good cop, he was a good man. A young man with entire life ahead of him,” Hopkins said.

Tate’s arrest came 10 days after the April 21 shooting death of CPD officer Luis Huesca.

The six-year officer was fatally shot in Gage Park while returning home from his shift. His SUV and service weapon were stolen.

The day after – on April 22 – Chicago police released these surveillance videos of a person they later identified as Tate – showing him walking within a block of where the shooting happened - both 13 minutes before the incident and nearly an hour afterwards.

On April 26, Chicago police continued their investigation into Huesca’s murder at a brick house in Morgan Park. Court records show an officer conducting covert surveillance noticed a man – later identified as Caschaus Tate – tossing a gun over the fence into the yard next door. Officers recovered the gun – which turned out to be Officer Huesca’s service weapon.
Caschaus Tate – described as an associate of Xavier L. Tate Jr. – was arrested and now faces a weapons charge. He was held in custody and is expected back in court later this month.