Prosecutors have charged a man with defacing a mural honoring three fallen Chicago police officers in West Lawn earlier this year. It’s the 11th time Chicago cops have arrested 29-year-old Armando Ramirez since he turned 18, according to CPD records. Two of those arrests resulted in prison sentences for gun possession.
The mural by artist Anna Murphy at 6801 South Pulaski Road honors Officers Luis Huesca, Andrés Vásquez Lasso and Enrique Martinez. Someone defaced it with spray paint, writing the word “TRASH” on the artwork. That prompted Cook County Crime Stoppers to offer a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
Ald. Silvana Tabares (23rd) said the “vile act” was “a deliberate attempt to intimidate our officers and offend every resident who values public safety and the brave men and women who wear the uniform.”
The mural was quickly restored.
“We protect our own. We honor our heroes. And we will not be silenced or intimidated by cowards with spray paint,” Tabares said after the damage was discovered.
CPD announced charges of one count of defacement of a memorial against Ramirez on Thursday. His most recent CPD arrest history resulted in a 2024 conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, a 2022 conviction for aggravated unlawful use of a loaded firearm, and a 2020 gun case that was dropped by prosecutors.
After charges were announced, Tabares posted an update on Twitter: “I want to thank the officers who worked tirelessly to catch this offender. This memorial was displayed in the West Lawn neighborhood to honor the sacrifices of officers who called this area home. This offender snuck into this community under the cover of night to stain their legacy. Instead, the community came together, worked with investigators, and showed the officers’ families who still call this area home that we stand with them.”
Original reporting you’ll see nowhere else, paid for by our readers. Click here to support our work.
