Richard M. Francis was a 60-year-old Chicago Police Department officer killed in the line of duty on the night of July 2, 2008. He had responded alone to a disturbance on a CTA bus near Belmont and Western Avenues after a passenger reported a woman, later identified as Robin Johnson, was harassing and screaming at her. During the attempted escort off the bus, Johnson disarmed Officer Francis and shot him multiple times. Francis managed to call for backup but died at the scene; responding officers returned fire and Johnson was taken to a hospital.

The investigation noted Johnson’s history of mental illness and prior confrontations with Belmont District officers. Family members including his wife Deborah and two stepdaughters described Francis as a loving husband and devoted father. His death was treated as a line-of-duty death and commemorated on law enforcement memorials.

If anyone witnessed the incident on that bus or knew Officer Francis, please share what you remember.