Death Classification: Line of Duty Death
Agency: Chicago Police Department
Served: 8 years, 8 months, 1 day
Unit of Assignment / Detail: 15th District - Austin
District of Incident (Present Day): 025 - Grand Central
Location of Occurrence: 1201 North Austin Boulevard
Cause of Death: Gunfire - Enemy
Age at Time of Death: 41
Timeline
Date of Birth: 05 May 1970
Date of Appointment: 28 Apr 2003
Date of Incident: 29 Dec 2011
End of Watch: 29 Dec 2011
Date of Interment: 05 Jan 2012
Interment Details
Cemetery: Did Not Serve
Grave Location: Unknown
Interment Disposition: Burial
Memorial Details
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Panel # D-9
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 17
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 5, Line 18
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 19-W: 15
Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed
Service
Military Service: Did Not Serve
Incident & Biographic Details
Police Officer Clifton Pimpleton Lewis, IV, Star #4103, aged 41 years, was an 8 year, 8 month, 1 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the 15th District – Austin Tactical Unit.
On December 29, 2011, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Officer Clifton was fatally wounded during a robbery at the M&M Quick Foods store located at 1201 North Austin Boulevard. He was working an overtime security detail at the store, which had been robbed several weeks earlier, when Alexander Villa, age 24 and Tyrone Clay, age 29, entered and announced a robbery. A third offender, Edgardo Colon, age 34, waited outside in the getaway vehicle. Officer Lewis drew his weapon and fired at the men. Villa returned fire and shot Officer Lewis multiple times in the abdomen and three times in the back before grabbing his service weapon and badge and then fleeing the store. Clay took about $670.00 from the cash register before he fled the store. Both gunmen entered the awaiting vehicle where Colon was waiting and was the getaway driver. Officer Lewis was transported to Stroger Hospital of Cook County where he was pronounced deceased at 9:08 p.m. on December 29, 2011.
Alexander Villa, Tyrone Clay and Edgardo Colon were later arrested and charged with 1st degree murder. They were ordered held without bond. In July, 2017, Edgardo Colon was found guilty of 1st Degree Murder, Aggravated Battery and Armed Robbery after a jury trial. On October 6, 2017, Edgardo Colon was sentenced to 84 years in prison after being found guilty. At the time of the incident, Colon was on probation for home invasion and had 7 prior felony convictions on his record. On February 28, 2019, Alexander Villa was found guilty of 1st Degree Murder, Aggravated Battery and Armed Robbery after a jury trial. The jury deliberated for 3 ½ hours before returning a guilty verdict at 11:30pm.
Officer Lewis was waked at United Missionary Baptist Church. His funeral mass was also held at United Missionary Baptist Church. He was laid to rest on January 5, 2012 in Mount Glenwood Memory Gardens Cemetery, 18301 South Glenwood Thornton Road, Glenwood, Illinois.
Police Officer Lewis Pimpleton Clifton, IV, born May 5, 1970, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on April 28, 2003 and he attended the Jackson Street Police Academy. He earned 4 Department Commendations, 1 Unit Meritorious Award, 70 Honorable Mentions, The 2009 Crime Reduction Award, The 2004 Crime Reduction Award and 2 Complimentary Letters during his career. Officer Lewis worked in the 8th District, 11th District and the 15th District.
Officer Lewis was a member of the Fraternal Order of Police. He was survived by his fiancée, Tamara Latrice Tucker; daughter, Simone Gabrielle Lewis, age 11; parents: Clifton Pimpleton, III., age 64 and Maxine Malesha Hooks (nee Johnson), age 64 and sister, Nicole Olloway.
Incident Recorded Under Chicago Police Department RD #HT652264.
On October 20, 2018, the 1000 block of North Lorel Avenue was dedicated as “Honorary Clifton P. Lewis Avenue.” One brown honorary street sign was erected. The sign was located on the Northwest corner of Augusta Boulevard and Lorel Avenue in the heart of the South Austin community where Officer Lewis lived.