Off-Duty Police Officer Killed In Robbery Attempt

By Marcus Gilmer in News on May 20, 2010 2:00PM

Thomas Wortham IV, a Chicago Police officer, was killed last night outside his parents' Chatham home when three men tried to rob him of his motorcycle; Wortham was off-duty at the time. Three men left their car and approached Wortham around 11:30 p.m. last night as he was leaving his parents house after dinner. When they tried to steal his motorcycle, gunfire was exchanged. Wortham was reportedly shot in the head; his father, a retired police veteran, had seen the men approach his son, came outside, and shot at the three suspects, striking two and killing one. The third suspect fled the scene in a car; police have since recovered what they think is that vehicle. The suspect killed has been identified as Brian Floyd, 20. Wortham is the second officer from the CPD's Englewood District to be killed within the last year. Officer Alejandro Valadez, who was shot and killed last year, also worked in the District.

According to Ald. Freddrenna Lyle (6th), Wortham, who's been with the CPD for three-years, had recently returned from a second tour of duty in Iraq and had just last week gone to Washington, D.C. to attend a memorial for police officers killed in the line of duty. He was also featured in this Tribune story from this weekend about Cole Park in Chatham - for which Wortham served as president of the advisory council - that had been closed by recent shootings.