Officer dies after collapsing on River West street
BY JAMES SCALZITTI Staff Reporter jscalzitti@suntimes.com February 25, 2012 12:56PM
Chicago Police Officer Preston Ross Jr., assigned to the 22nd District, suffered a heart attack and died while on duty and working a CTA detail. Officer Ross, 48 years old, was a 25-year veteran of the Department, earning 17 awards. February 25, 2012 | Chicago Police Photo
Updated: March 27, 2012 8:26AM
A Chicago Police officer suffered a heart attack and died while working in River West Saturday.
Preston Ross Jr., 48, was in full uniform, working near the CTA Blue Line station at Grand and Milwaukee when he began having problems breathing and collapsed, authorities said.
A Chicago Fire Department ambulance took the 25-year police veteran to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 10 a.m., police spokesman Robert Perez said. A police motorcade later escorted the officer’s body from Northwestern Memorial to the Stein Institute, where an autopsy will be performed.
“It is with profound sadness that I announce that the Chicago Police Department has lost one of its own this morning,” Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said in a statement Saturday. “On behalf of the entire department, I offer my sincere condolences to Officer Ross’ family, friends and colleagues.”
Ross, who was assigned to the Morgan Park District, received 17 awards during his career, according to a news release from police.
