LODD-Chicago PD-RIP

[gadget105]

Detective Joseph Airhart Jr.
Chicago Police Department
Illinois
End of Watch: Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Biographical Info
Age: Not available
Tour of Duty: 19 years
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Friday, August 24, 2001
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life

Detective Joseph Airhart succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained seven years earlier while leading an FBI Task Force raid at the home of a bank robbery suspect. As the team entered the man's apartment the suspect opened fire, striking Detective Airhart.

The suspect then held Detective Airhart hostage for two hours before being taken into custody.

Detective Airhart remained in a coma for two months, but never fully recovered. He was unable to speak, walk or swallow food food. He died as a result of his wound on November 4, 2008.

Prior to Detective Airhart's death, the suspect had been sentenced to life in prison plus 132 years for the shooting and robberies.

Detective Airhart had served with the Chicago Police Department for 19 years at the time of the shooting.

Agency Contact Information
Chicago Police Department
3510 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60653

Phone: [phone]

Please contact the Chicago Police Department for funeral arrangements or for survivor benefit fund information.

[Deleted]

BY SHAMUS TOOMEY Staff Reporter/[e-mail]
Joseph Airhart Jr. was first through the door.

It was August 2001, and the Chicago Police detective had agreed to pose as a neighbor with a delivery in an attempt to get in and peacefully arrest a bank robber holed up in a South Loop apartment.

But things went wrong. The suspect fled to a bedroom -- then opened fire.

The highly decorated detective was struck by a bullet in the head. Then the shooter refused to let law enforcement near the wounded detective for more than two hours before finally being arrested.

Detective Airhart suffered severe brain injuries. Over the next seven years, he made strides in his recovery but suffered setbacks as well. In 2006, his family said he was unable to walk, feed himself or breathe without the aid of a ventilator.
Tuesday afternoon, the 25-year veteran of the Police Department died. He was 53.

"Joe, as we all know, was one hell of a policeman," said retired police Supt. Terry Hillard, who was in charge of the department when Detective Airhart was shot. "But he was such a wonderful, nice individual, a true professional. Joe, he gave his best, and he hung in there. The good Lord decided to take him from us.

"He'll always be remembered in the Chicago Police Department. I think a lot of the citizens of this city will remember Joe also. My condolences and the Hillard family's condolences go out to the Airhart family, but also to the police family because they've suffered a great loss."

Detective Airhart grew up in the South Shore neighborhood and attended South Shore High School. The second-oldest of four siblings, he often returned to his old neighborhood as an adult to visit his parents -- sometimes three times a week.

His colleagues said he was always cool, always careful -- though not to a fault. They described him as aggressive, smart and adventurous, but also friendly, humble and dependable.

On Aug. 28, 2001, Detective Airhart, then 45, was an Area 2 detective detailed to the FBI Bank Robbery Task Force. That day, he was part of a five-man crew trying to arrest Daniel Salley, a former tax consultant wanted in connection with several bank robberies. They tracked Salley to his fiancee's apartment in the 1300 block of South Wabash, and Detective Airhart made the first contact, posing as a neighbor trying to deliver an errant package.

After he was shot, more than two hours passed before he finally could to be taken from the apartment. Salley refused to allow medical treatment. After about two hours, Salley asked to speak to an impartial observer. WLS-Channel 7 reporter Paul Meincke spoke with him by phone, and Salley soon surrendered.

Salley was convicted in October 2005 of attempted murder. He was sentenced to life in prison plus 132 years. John Gorman, a spokesman for the Cook County state's attorney office, said Tuesday the case will be looked at again now that Detective Airhart has died.

Salley -- who was convicted in federal court -- could face the federal death penalty if charges are upgraded.

"We are going to review this case entirely, with both the U.S. attorney's office and the superintendent of police, to decide what, if anything, would be the next appropriate move," Gorman said.

When Salley was sentenced in February 2006, Detective Airhart's sister Denise Airhart addressed him in court: "My family was destroyed, Salley, by the blatant attempt you made to murder my brother. In an instant, Salley, you took away a promising and productive future."

Detective Airhart's family asked for privacy Tuesday. Funeral arrangements were pending.

[19pct]

R.I.P

[irishcop32]

Rest in peace Det. Airhart.

[2 Blue 4 U]

My condolences to his family and friends, May he Rest in Peace