The Chicago police video released almost two weeks ago showed that McDonald was veering away from police when Van Dyke shoots him.
Advertisement
The dash cam footage of McDonald’s death is the center of the protesters’ demonstrations, with many taking notice of how Chicago’s police kept it from public viewing for 13 months, as well as how questions have been raised over its lack of audio.
A Justice Department Civil Rights investigation of the police force would be separate from the federal investigation now under way in connection with the Jason Van Dyke shooting. “McDonald fell to the ground but continued to move and continued to grasp the knife, refusing to let go of it”.
Van Dyke told an investigator he feared McDonald would rush him with the knife or launch it at him.
According to the City of Chicago’s website, the IPRA is an independent agency of the City, separate from the Chicago Police Department.
The release of 2014 dashboard-mounted video showing McDonald being shot 16 times by police was the match that set off the powder keg, revitalizing allegations of negligence and what some are calling a systemic problem of excessive police force.
Reuters could not immediately obtain the police reports. And a recent Chicago Tribune investigation showed that the department has spent around $500 million over the last 11 years to handle cases of police misconduct.
The formal announcement of the investigation by Attorney General Loretta Lynch is imminent, a Justice Department official knowledgeable with the decision told USA TODAY on Sunday.
Escalante told the Chicago Tribune that he’s sent inspectors to do random checks of dashcams. The officer in that case has been charged with murder.
Federal authorities are investigating the shooting. The investigations typically take more than a year to conduct and result in a “consent decree” between the city involved and the Justice Department requiring alterations in practices and policies. The shooting was caught on videotape, which was not released until the charges were filed on November 25.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel called the possibility of a civil rights investigation “misguided” last week.
When announcing charges against Van Dyke, Alvarez said McDonald’s knife, which had a 3-inch blade, was folded when recovered from the scene. But one of the police reports said the knife’s “blade was in the open position”.
One report said McDonald showed “irrational behavior”, such as ignoring verbal directions, “growling” and making noises. PCP, a hallucinogenic drug, was found in McDonald’s system, according to Alvarez and the medical examiner’s report that was among the documents.
Advertisement
“Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and the Urban League had called for a broader probe, and recently Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel signaled he would accept that”, Carrie says.
