Chicago police officer dies from COVID-19

CHICAGO - A 21-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department has died of complications of COVID-19 early Thursday.

The officer’s death from the coronavirus is the first in the nearly 14,000-person department, interim Supt. Charlie Beck said Thursday in a news conference.

He was identified as officer Marco Di Franco, who worked in the department’s narcotics division, Beck said.

(Marco Di Franco/Photo credit: CPD)

Beck said the officer contracted the disease last week and was hospitalized over the weekend.

Di Franco is survived by his wife, two children, ages 7 and 10. His brother also works in narcotics division, Beck said.

“Officer Marco Di Franco, a first generation Italian American was assigned to an undercover narcotics team,” CPD chief spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said on Twitter. “His first love was his family, his second was being a Chicago cop and lastly his heritage and collection of Italian sports cars. He was one hell of a policeman.”

Beck said the department is unsure if Di Franco contracted the disease at work.

At least 60 members of the department have contracted the disease.

Di Franco is the second city employee to die from COVID-19.