A Chicago police officer found dead in what authorities believe was a suicide over the Labor Day weekend has been identified as a 47-year-old man.
Steven Joseph Bechina, of Chicago, was found unresponsive in his vehicle Monday in downtown Chicago and pronounced dead at an area hospital, officials said.
The officer was found in the 0-100 block of North Des Plaines Street about 3:46 p.m., police said. He was taken by ambulance to Northwestern Memorial hospital.
Chicago police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi tweeted that the officer’s death was a suicide.
“Devastating news as an on duty #ChicagoPolice officer has taken his own life this evening,” the tweet read. “The supervisor in our mass transit section was discovered unresponsive by fellow officers. Our hearts are heavy and deepest condolences are with his family and fellow officers tonight.”
Another Chicago police officer took his own life in his squad car last July outside of a district station.
If you are in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or reach out to the Crisis Text Line by texting "Home’"to 741741.
