Activists gathered at Chicago Police Headquarters Monday morning after police released body camera video of a deadly police shooting over the weekend. Some activists want to see Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson resign, reports ABC 7 News in Chicago. Police in Chicago released video Sunday that showed a man who was shot to death by an officer a day earlier had a firearm and tussled with officers before the shooting, USA Today reports. Johnson quickly disseminated the body camera video in the face of angry protests after the shooting. Dozens of protesters took the streets Saturday, with some demonstrators calling the police “murderers” and a few slinging bottles and rocks at officers. The suspect was identified as Harith Augustus, 37, a barber in the South Shore neighborhood who was shot by police early Saturday evening not far from where he worked.
“We’re not trying to hide anything. We’re not trying to fluff anything,” Johnson said. “This video speaks for itself.” Officials met with the Augustus’s family and showed them the video before making it public. “The family wants to ensure there is a just investigation, but they also want to make sure this city doesn’t overreact,” Johnson said. Augustus had a valid firearms license but did not have a concealed-carry permit. The decision to make video public less than 24 hours after the incident was a notable departure from Chicago policy in officer-involved shootings. The department has faced scrutiny for disproportionately using deadly force in black and Latino neighborhoods. In 2016, the city said it would release video and audio recordings within 60 days of a use-of-force incident. Johnson said he released the video to dispel inaccurate information on the street that led to the violent protests. “We can’t have another night like that,” Johnson said. “If we don’t get in front of things, the narrative will spin out of control.” Police described the officer who fired the weapon as a “probationary officer” with the department for less than two years.
1 Comment
There are certainly videos of unjustified or questionable police shootings, but this isn’t one of them; it clearly shows the man reaching for the gun. Do people expect the police will stand there and allow themselves to be shot?