Arrests have been made after several hundred people hit the Chicago streets Tuesday night to protest over police dashcam video showing the disturbing fatal shooting death of African-American teen Laquan McDonald. He slowly tries to walk away from the officers, but Van Dyke takes a step toward McDonald.
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“People have a right to be angry, people have a right to protest, people have a right to free speech”, McCarthy said. He, however, stated that people are without the right to participate in criminal activity. A judge ruled last week the city had to release the video of the shooting after keeping it under wraps for more than a year.
Officer Jason Van Dyke has been charged with first-degree murder and bond has been denied. However, Emanuel said that he had not seen the video as of yet and it would not be released to the public just yet.
“I believe this is a moment that can build bridges of understanding rather than become a barrier of misunderstanding”.
But state’s attorney Anita Alvarez said the officer abused his authority. City leaders quickly started scrambling to do damage control ahead of the release, realizing the video’s contents would inflame longstanding rage against Chicago PD’s rampant abuses. While still standing 10 feet away from McDonald, Van Dyke takes his first shots at McDonald.
In the video, which was filmed on October 20, 2014, McDonald is seen walking in the middle of a street.
It shows two police officers jumping from their auto and drawing their weapons while advancing toward McDonald. Police officers then went into the local Burger King that had surveillance cameras and deleted the footage that captured the murder.
Widespread protests over police killings of black men have rocked a number of USA cities in the past year and a half. It was said to have been justified because the officer felt he was threatened by McDonald.
Originally, that footage was to be disseminated after the settlement of a $5 million lawsuit brought on by McDonald’s family.
Police say McDonald had refused to drop a knife and that Van Dyke had feared for his life.
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They family has also appealed for calm, urging that those who view the video “don’t resort to violence in Laquan’s name”.
