State trooper dies on the Dan Ryan

I want to share a portrait of State Trooper Gerald Mason before we get to what was reported about his death. It's just amazing that he loses his life after the state police's starts to escalate their presence on Chicago area expressways.

Tonight, our state is grieving the loss of @ILStatePolice Trooper Gerald Mason.

He was a member of our Illinois community and had loved ones who cared for him. Bryan and I are praying for their strength.

May all who grieve find peace during this difficult time. pic.twitter.com/s2sdXKIvKN

— Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton (@LtGovStratton) October 2, 2021

And now let's go to the Chicago Sun-Times: 

Illinois State Police trooper Gerald Mason died from a single gunshot wound he suffered while on the Dan Ryan Expressway Friday afternoon, with a passerby coming to his aid and police driving him to the hospital, according to officials and witnesses. The shooting happened around 1:45 p.m. in the inbound lanes of the Dan Ryan at 43rd Street, state police said in a statement.

“I was on the northwest side of the city when I got the call from the University of Chicago telling me to get down there for Gerald,” Linda Mason said. “I begged them to tell me he wasn’t the state trooper who got shot on 43rd Street. They said they couldn’t do that.”

“It was horrible and the worst day of my life,” she said.

Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly wouldn’t give specifics about the shooting during a Friday evening news conference, saying it remains an ongoing investigation.

“This is a death investigation. We do not have any information that there is a cause for concern, that there is a threat to public safety, that there is a threat to law enforcement specifically,” Kelly said.

Condolences to the family of Trooper Mason.