Chambana Sun

State Rep. Mike Marron (R-Fithian) is standing in full support of a resolution to honor fallen Champaign police officer Chris Oberheim.

I would ask the body to keep the community of Champaign-Urbana in its prayers as we go through this rough time,” Marron said in a House floor speech where he pushed for the measure’s passage.  “There’s a lot of pride in Champaign-Urbana, we’re a very close-knit community and we’re struggling right now. I ask everyone to keep the family in your thoughts and prayers, and also the community.”

Oberheim was recently gunned down in a shootout with a domestic violence suspect where his partner was also injured, and the suspect was killed. The veteran officer was honored in a May 19 procession that spanned several counties, including his hometown of Monticello.

Law enforcement agencies and other first responders came together to escort the fallen officer’s body from Champaign-Urbana to Decatur and beyond. On the day of the procession, schools were released early in Monticello to accommodate all the added traffic.

The salute to Oberheim came just days after all the officers in the line of duty in Illinois over the last two years were feted at the Illinois Police Memorial on May 6.

On the same day as the memorial, state Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) took to the House floor to echo the list of the fallen 16 officers, correctional officers and deputies and call for a moment of silence in their honor.

"I want to say thanks to Rep. Caulkins for putting together this legislation,” Marron added.

The ceremony to pay tribute to the fallen members of law enforcement occurs every year on the first Thursday of May.