The city worries that the footage could fuel anger among protesters and officials are bracing for a possible uprising.
— Mothers For Justice (@mommas4justice) April 15, 2015
Officer Jason Van Dyke turned himself in on Tuesday morning for the killing of Laquan McDonald, who was 17, on Oct. 20, 2014.
— Jessica D'Onofrio (@donofrioABC7) November 24, 2015
McDonald was reportedly holding a knife, which he used to slash the tires of a police vehicle.
Van Dyke fired a “barrage of bullets” less than 30 seconds after arriving at the scene, and continued shooting as McDonald’s body was on the ground.
State Attorney Anita Alvarez has stated that this was not a proper use of force and that it was not justified.
“With these charges, we are bringing a full measure of justice that this demands,” Alvarez told reporters on Tuesday.
Her announcement came just one day before the deadline set by a judge to release the video footage, taken from a police dash-cam.
“It is everything it has been described to be by the news accounts,” Alvarez said. “It is graphic, it is violent, it is chilling. I’ve been a prosecutor for nearly 30 years…to watch a 17-year-old young man die in such a violent manner is deeply disturbing.”
The mayor has also spoken out against what he saw in the video.
“Police officers are entrusted to uphold the law, and to provide safety to our residents,” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said in a statement. “In this case unfortunately, it appears an officer violated that trust at every level.”
In April, the city agreed to pay a $5 million settlement to the McDonald family.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Van Dyke is the first Chicago police officer charged with first-degree murder in over 30 years.
Lawyers for the killer cop claim that the officer “feared for his life.”
