By Police1 Staff
CHICAGO — Police identified the Chicago officer who died after being found unconscious at a district police station while on duty.
Authorities said 47-year-old Officer Vinita Williams was found unconscious early Tuesday morning at the Calumet District police station, the Chicago-Sun Times reported. She was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead an hour later.
It was not immediately clear what caused the officer to fall unconscious. Anthony Guglielmi, spokesman for the Chicago Police Department, said an autopsy hasn’t been completed yet, but he said the officer may have died of natural causes, according to WGN-TV.
Jason Palmer, who attended school with Williams, had known the officer for 14 years and said the city “lost an angel and a good protector.”
Williams’ death came two days after 36-year-old Officer Brandon Krueger died by suicide in the parking lot of the same station.
“Coping with the loss of a department member is never easy; our thoughts and prayers are with all our members and family affected by these losses,” the Chicago Police Department wrote in a statement.”
Williams, who became an officer in her 30s, leaves behind a husband and two sons.