Donald Joseph Marquez, a 47-year-old Hispanic male, was a dedicated patrolman with the Chicago Police Department. On March 18, 2002, while serving an arrest warrant for housing violations, he was tragically shot and killed. Marquez and his partner, Patrolman Anthony Mejia, were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on Henry A. Wolk, a 77-year-old resident with multiple building code violations. The incident occurred at 2451 North Avers Avenue in Chicago.
Despite their efforts to persuade Wolk to open the door, the officers were forced to break it down. Wolk, armed with a .22 caliber pistol, fired through the doorway, striking Marquez twice. Marquez was not wearing his bulletproof vest at the time. A shootout ensued, lasting approximately ten minutes, during which Wolk was eventually shot and killed by backup officers.
Marquez succumbed to his injuries at the hospital on March 19, 2002. He was a 20-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, having served with dedication and honor. Marquez was survived by his wife, two sons, three daughters, a grandson, his parents, and two sisters. His death was classified as a line-of-duty death, and he was honored on various memorial walls, including the Superintendent’s Honored Star Case, the Gold Star Families Memorial Wall, the Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall, and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall.
The incident led to an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Marquez's death. It was determined that Wolk had a history of failing to appear in Housing Court to address his numerous building code violations. A Housing Court judge had signed an order authorizing the police to take Wolk into custody. The tragic outcome of the warrant service highlighted the dangers faced by law enforcement officers in the line of duty and underscored the importance of wearing protective gear.
