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Funeral Friday in Chicago for UW-W grad killed in the line of duty

CHICAGO (AP) -- Officer Thomas E. Wortham IV, a University of Wisconsin-Whitewater grad who was shot and killed in Chicago last week, will be laid to rest Friday with full honors.

Wortham, an off-duty officer with the Chicago Police Department, was shot in the head when several people approached him outside his family's home and tried to steal his new motorcycle.

Three suspects are being held in connection with the shooting of Wortham who recently had returned from a tour of duty in Iraq with a Fort Atkinson, Wis., unit of the Wisconsin Army National Guard.

Wortham reportedly was leaving his parents' home in the 8400 block of South King Drive in Chicago when the subjects approached him.

A police source reported that Wortham's father -- a retired Chicago police sergeant and, like his son, a military veteran, was on his porch when he saw two men approach and try and rob his son.

During the assault, Wortham loudly announced he was a police officer and then one of the men shot him in the head.

His father came to his aid, shooting two of the attackers, killing one of them -- Brian Floyd, 20, late Wednesday, police said. Retired police officers are allowed to keep guns in Chicago.

Charges were pending against the injured suspect, who was reported in critical condition, police spokesman Robert Perez said. Two others got away.

One -- a 20-year-old Marquette Park man -- turned himself in Thursday. The Chicago Sun-Times reported that court records showed the man pleaded guilty to a felony charge of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon after he was arrested with a .45-caliber handgun last year and was sentenced to 18 months' probation.

The third suspect was reportedly arrested Thursday night during a traffic stop. =

Wortham's murder is considered a death in the line of duty because he announced his position and took action. He will receive an honors funeral and his police star (badge) - No. 6181 - will be retired, authorities said.

"This is a tragedy. This young man survived two tours in Iraq, and came home and got murdered on the streets in front of the house that he grew up in. In front of his father, it's just unbelievable," said Chicago Alderman Freddrenna Lyle.

She said she knows the family, who have lived for about three decades in the Chatham neighborhood on the city's south side.

Wortham was a member of the Wisconsin Army National Guard's Troop A, 1st Battalion, 105th Cavalry, based in Fort Atkinson, said spokeswoman Capt. Joy Staab.

He enlisted in April 1999 and commissioned in 2006. Staab said Wortham was promoted to 1st lieutenant in August of 2008.

Wortham and his family had been vocal in efforts to curb street violence -- a particularly hot-button issue in Chicago, where two Illinois lawmakers recently asked the governor to send in the National Guard to patrol the streets.