Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Chicago Officials On Edge As Dash Cam Video Of Controversial Police Action Shooting Is Released


Dash cam video of a black ,17-year old male high on PCP being shot 16 times by a Chicago police officer has finally been released after city officials fought for the past year to block its release. Faced with no other choice after a judge ordered the Chicago Police Department to release video of the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald that occurred more than a year ago, Cook Co. State's Attorney Anita Alvarez announced today she was charging Officer Jason Van Dyke, the police officer who shot McDonald, with first degree murder ahead of the release of this evening's release of the video. A Chicago judge ordered Van Dyke held in the Cook Co. Jail without bail. Prosecutors said Van Dyke began firing at McDonald within six seconds of exiting his car, emptying all the bullets in his gun's chamber even after McDonald fell to the ground. Prosecutors say Van Dyke was starting to re-load his gun when another officer ordered him to stop. City officials agreed this past spring to pay McDonald's family $5 million to settle a threatened wrongful death claim against the city. Eighteen citizen complaints had been filed against Van Dyke during his 14-year career with the police department, including eight for using excessive force, but he had never faced discipline by the department. City officials are on edge tonight, worried the release of the video might spark rioting.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

And every cop who buried the video or argued to bury the video and every State's Attorney who did the same will be charged with accessory-after-the-fact to murder.

Anonymous said...

Rahm, no doubt, thought he could keep this under wraps? Of course, one wonders what kind of pistol had 16 rounds in it....

Anonymous said...

That is absolutely without a doubt one of the most disburbing things I've ever seen. I know the guy was messed up on PCP and dangerous, but the cops made no effort to end this peacefully. It appears to have been an execution, plain and simple. It's hard to take cops whining about lack of respect for law and order seriously when they do this.

Anonymous said...

Anon 8:42 I have a handgun with 17 round mags. It's not all that unusual. Please understand that it's not a carry gun. The mags are double stack and fairly long. It's a heavy gun with 18 rounds (including one in the chamber). It's not the kind of gun you want if you have to draw and shoot quickly, nor is it easy to conceal. That said, it's a fabulous home defense gun, especially if you have a few seconds, say you're in a back bedroom or upstairs when the bad guys break in the front door. And yes, to the layman 18 rounds sounds excessive, but imagine yourself in an Amanda Blackburn type scenario with 3 guys coming at you with a .38 snubbie with 5 rounds. You're gonna win that gun battle 9 times out of 10 because you have a longer barrel (more accurate) and more chances to hit the bullseye. Maybe the third guy gets away. Maybe not. Let's just put it this way. It's better to have a few too many rounds than being a few short.

Anonymous said...

8:42:

Many guns, particularly 9mms, have 17 shot magazines.

Sir Hailstone said...

8:42 AM - Ummm they don't carry six-shooters around anymore. .38 Specials went out of service years ago.

Most LEO (and civilian carry pistols outside communist states like CA and NY for that matter) have 15 round magazines plus one in the chamber. Glock 19 (9 mm) does, so would a Glock 23 (.40 caliber) and so does many 1911 styles and SigSauers.

My guess is the standard issue for CPD is the Glock 23 with a 15 round magazine.