Death Classification: Performance of Duty Death

Agency: Chicago Police Department

Served: 11 years, 2 months, 0 days

Unit of Assignment / Detail: Bureau of Operational Services - Patrol Division Special Functions Group: Unit 153 - Special Operations Section

District of Incident (Present Day): 011 - Harrison

Cause of Death: Illness - Cerebral Hemorrhage

Age at Time of Death: 36

Timeline


Date of Birth: 04 Aug 1965

Date of Appointment: 30 Jul 1990

Date of Incident: 011 - Harrison

End of Watch: 02 Oct 2001

Date of Interment: 06 Oct 2001

 

Interment Details


 Cemetery: Maryhill Catholic Cemetery - Niles, Illinois
 Grave Location: Section 22
 Interment Disposition: Burial

 

Memorial Details


Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Panel # D-9

Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 7

Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 4, Line 33

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 30-E: 22

Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed

 

Service


 Military Service: Did Not Serve

 

Incident & Biographic Details


Sergeant Hector Anastacio Silva, Star #1760, aged 36 years, was an 11 year, 2 month, 0 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the Bureau of Operational Services – Patrol Division Special Functions Group: Unit 153 – Special Operations Section.

On September 30, 2001, at 9:00 a.m., Sergeant Hector Silva was participating in a Special Operations Section (SOS) physical agility test for the non-HBT chemical agent team at the Homan Square Facility located at 3340 West Fillmore Street. He sprinted two flights of stairs carrying sandbags weighing a total of 55 pounds, then sprinted 100 yards with no obstacles, completing the course in 53 seconds. The exercise was intended to simulate working in protective gear while dealing with chemical agents. After the course he walked into the SOS office and bumped into a file cabinet, striking his left knee, and sat down at a desk slumping forward. At this time Sergeant Silva indicated he was experiencing pain in the right side of his head and feeling dizzy. His speech was also slurred and officers in the office summoned an ambulance for him. He was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital by CFD Ambulance #33. Once there he was admitted to the ICU and later underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. Tragically, Sergeant Silva died from an intracerebral hemorrhage during the surgery and was pronounced dead by Dr. Hernando at 11:15 a.m. on October 2, 2001.

Sergeant Silva was waked at Malec & Sons Funeral Home located at 6000 North Milwaukee Avenue. His funeral mass was held at Immaculate Conception Church located at 7211 West Talcott Avenue. He was laid to rest on October 6, 2001 in Maryhill Cemetery, 8600 North Milwaukee Avenue, Niles, Illinois. His grave is located in Section 22.

Sergeant Hector Anastacio Silva, born August 4, 1965, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on July 30, 1990 and was issued Star #9477. On June 16, 1970, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and issued Star #1760. He earned 1 Carter Harrison Medal, 1 Superintendent’s Award of Valor, 1 Democratic Convention Service Award, 54 Honorable Mentions and 3 Complimentary Letters during his career.

Sergeant Silva was a member of the Police Benevolent & Protective Association and Latin American Police Association. He was survived by his wife, Victoria (nee Salinas), age 37; children: Antonia Irene, age 12 and Miranda, age 7; parents: Anastasio and Carmen (nee Villarrubia) and siblings: Aracelis and Edwin (CPD).

In 2002 the Latin American Police Association, of which Sergeant Silva was an Executive Board member, renamed their Valor Award in his memory.

Incident Recorded under Chicago Police Department RD #G587119.

On May 24, 2005, Sergeant Silva’s star was retired by Superintendent Philip J. Cline and enshrined in the Superintendent’s Honored Star Case, located in the lobby at Chicago Police Headquarters, 3510 South Michigan Avenue.