He was honored at a Chicago City Council meeting Wednesday morning, where Soderberg's widow said she hopes everyone in the city can prevent violence.
Jennifer Loudon thanked her husband's Chicago police family for standing by her over the last few weeks and thanked the countless Chicagoans who have reached out to her since her husband's death. Loudon said they too would like his life to have a lasting legacy and have expressed an interest in helping her family develop programs for inner-city kids.
Soderberg's family has partnered with Chicago Community Trust, choosing to turn his life into a legacy, funding nature trips for troubled urban youth.Soderberg was a teacher at the police academy; his wife is a social worker for Chicago Public Schools.
A man relatives say had a history of mental problems is accused of taking Soderberg's gun and shooting him with it.
"It's everyone's responsibility when they see someone who is stressed out and when they see someone who is hurt or suffering to step up and really attempt to intervene before that escalates into what we see has happened too many times," Loudon said.
