Haunting images show final moments of murdered Chicago cop Ella French during deadly traffic stop

An image from body camera footage shows the moments before a man allegedly opened fire on police during traffic stop, killing one cop and seriously wounding her partner before a third officer returned fire.

The traffic stop which led to Officer Ella French, 29, shot dead was also caught on grainy surveillance footage, WLS-TV reported.  

The haunting still from the bodycam footage shows Eric Morgan, 22, sitting in the driver’s seat as a cop looks into the car through the driver’s side window moments before his younger brother Emonte Morgan allegedly fires at the officers.  

Emonte, also named as ‘Monty’ in court is since said to have confessed to shooting at the cops in a recorded statement.  

Separate surveillance footage since shared shows police pull over the Morgan brothers, and a female passenger, during a routine traffic stop on Saturday night.

Emonte then allegedly shot at the officers before one of the suspects was seen on video running from the scene as local residents chased them down. 

Emonte Morgan, left, has been charged after he allegedly shot dead Chicago police officer Ella French, right, on Saturday

Emonte's older brother Eric Morgan, pictured, was driving the car during a routine traffic stop

Emonte’s older brother Eric Morgan, pictured, was driving the car during a routine traffic stop

Eric Morgan is pictured during the traffic stop in the new body worn camera footage

Eric Morgan is pictured during the traffic stop in the new body worn camera footage

The new footage shows the moments before Emonte Morgan allegedly fired at the officers

The new footage shows the moments before Emonte Morgan allegedly fired at the officers

The video footage revelations were made as French’s heartbreaking final radio call to dispatchers was also published by Irish Angel – a nonprofit group founded to support law enforcement officers and their families.

During the radio call, an unidentified voice tells the dispatcher: ‘Officer down.’ 

This dispatcher then tells others to stay off the radio air while announcing that French had been shot at the intersection of 63rd Street and Bell Avenue.

A dispatcher informs police that the suspect was wearing a blue Chicago Cubs shirt – and the unidentified voice tells her to call for two ambulances.

The bond hearing was held for the Morgan brothers on Tuesday before Cook County Judge Arthur Willis – though Emonte did not attend because he remains hospitalized after a third officer returned fire.

Prosecutors said Emonte admitted to investigators that he pulled his handgun out of his waistband and opened fire.

Willis ordered Emonte held without bond on charges of first-degree murder of a peace officer, attempted murder of two other officers, unlawful use of a weapon and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon.

‘They didn’t have their weapons drawn, they weren’t firing on him, and callously (Emonte) shoots and kills one, and the other is in critical condition,’ the judge said.

Separate surveillance footage shows police pull over the Morgan brothers, and a female passenger

Separate surveillance footage shows police pull over the Morgan brothers, and a female passenger

The SUV was pulled over during a routine traffic stop on Saturday night

The SUV was pulled over during a routine traffic stop on Saturday night

Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy said cops had stopped the SUV because of expired plates.

The brothers initially followed officers’ instructions, handing over the vehicle’s keys and getting out of the SUV. But the situation escalated after Emonte refused to set down a drink and cellphone he was holding, Murphy said.

‘He began physically jerking his arms away from the officers,’ Murphy said.

Footage from police body cameras shows Emonte Morgan had a handgun tucked into his waistband, Murphy said. 

As he struggled with police, he began firing several shots, striking the French once in the head and a 39-year-old officer, whose name has not been released, in the right eye, right shoulder and in his brain.

One of the suspects was seen on video running from the scene as local residents chased them down

One of the suspects was seen on video running from the scene as local residents chased them down

Police are seen after the shooting death of officer Ella French

Police are seen after the shooting death of officer Ella French 

Chicago Police Supt. David Brown gives an update and answers questions during a press conference at the Chicago Police Headquarters on Sunday

Chicago Police Supt. David Brown gives an update and answers questions during a press conference at the Chicago Police Headquarters on Sunday

Cops are seen mourning the shooting death of Ella French in images posted to Twitter

Cops are seen mourning the shooting death of Ella French in images posted to Twitter 

Both officers fell to the ground face up, their body cameras still recording, Murphy said. At one point, Morgan could be seen stepping over the 39-year-old wounded officer before stepping out of view.

In the meantime, Eric Morgan had run off during the struggle, and the third officer had chased after him, Murphy said. When that officer heard gunshots, he ran back and exchanged gunfire with Monty Morgan before falling to the ground.

Eric Morgan also ran back, and his brother then handed the gun to him, according to court documents. The third officer got back up and shot at Monty Morgan again, hitting him in the abdomen.

French is pictured before her death with her fellow officers

French is pictured before her death with her fellow officers

Murphy said Monty Morgan gave a statement on video in which he admitted to drinking, having a gun and opening fire on two officers. An initial court appearance is set for Aug. 16.

At a separate bond hearing on Tuesday afternoon, a judge ordered Eric Morgan held without bond. 

Eric Morgan, who authorities say was captured in a yard where he had run to dump his brother’s gun, is charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and obstruction of justice.

A third man, Jamel Danzy, 29, of Indiana, is charged with supplying the semiautomatic handgun used in the shooting. 

Danzy is accused of buying the weapon from a licensed gun dealer in Hammond, Indiana, in March and provided it to an Illinois resident who he knew could neither buy nor possess guns because of a felony conviction.

French was the first Chicago police officer to die from a gunshot in the line of duty in nearly three years.

source: dailymail.co.uk