Chicago Police Officer Ella French honored with memorial 1 year after shooting death in line of duty

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Taps played Sunday in honor of Chicago Police Officer Ella Grace French.

She was shot and killed in the line of duty one year ago. Dozens of her colleagues, friends and family attended a memorial service Sunday at Chicago's Gold Star Families Memorial and Park.

A special prayer rally to honor officer french. The ceremony was held outside of chicago police district - near northwest highway and milwaukee.

It was the second of two solemn ceremonies held in the 29-year-old's name Sunday. The first gathering included CPD's top brass, along with Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

RELATED | NW Indiana man charged with providing gun used to kill CPD Officer Ella French pleads guilty

"Officer French was the best of us," Pritzker said. "Her career as a police officer was not an accident. It was a calling."

During the ceremony Star number 15013 was permanently retired as French's mother enshrined her daughter's badge inside CPD headquarters. Struggling to keep her composure, French's former partner, Joshua Blas, held his arm around her as she spoke.

RELATED | Surveillance video shows traffic stop before fatal shooting of CPD Officer Ella French

"There are days that I miss her so much that it hurts," said Elizabeth French, the fallen officer's mother. "This wall, this wall of heroes. It breaks my heart to be putting Ella's star on this wall today, but my heartbreak is tempered with pride. I am so proud of the human being and the woman that is Ella."

French was the 595th Chicago police officer to be killed in the line of duty.