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.
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