useapen
2024-04-10 05:30:54 UTC
Newly released bodycam footage reveals the mayhem that unfolded in a
residential neighborhood when Chicago police fired as many as 96 bullets
toward a man during a traffic stop, killing the 26-year-old and raising
questions about whether officers used excessive force.
While a preliminary investigation suggests the driver opened fire on
officers first, his family and attorneys question why plain-clothed
officers swarmed Dexter Reeds car with guns drawn and fired dozens of
shots at him.
The fatal encounter happened in the citys Garfield Park neighborhood on
March 21. Several graphic bodycam videos were released Tuesday by
Chicagos Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
Across the country, police bodycam footage has played an increasing role
in raising awareness and understanding about officer-involved shootings.
Such evidence has been used to help convict some officers of crimes, while
other officers have avoided criminal charges after the release of bodycam
footage.
While the disturbing videos from Chicago bring more clarity to what
happened, they also raise a plethora of new questions.
What the videos show
In one video, an officer wearing a hooded jacket, a baseball cap and a
tactical vest with a badge on it approaches the driver of a white vehicle
with dark-tinted windows.
Roll the window down. Roll the window down, the officer tells the
driver. The driver initially rolled his window down but then kept rolling
it back up.
What are you doing? the officer asks. Dont roll the window up. Do not
roll the window up!
The officer pulls on the drivers door handle which appears to be locked
and then draws a gun. Unlock the doors now! Unlock the doors now! the
officer screams as another officer shouts the same demands.
The driver apparently says, OK, Im trying to.
Seconds later, as the officer retreats from the vehicle, gunfire breaks
out.
Dozens of gunshots are then heard in rapid succession.
Other bodycam videos show at least two other officers firing toward Reed
from across the street in the residential neighborhood. Both of those
officers paused to reload their guns.
After the barrage of gunfire ends, Reeds body is found lying face down
behind the vehicle.
He started shooting at us, an officer said in one of the videos.
About a minute later, an officer examines Reeds bullet-ridden car.
The guns right there, the officer says, shining a flashlight into the
vehicle.
One officer was shot in the wrist during the gunfire and was hospitalized
in good condition, Chicago police said.
Now, multiple agencies are investigating whether the officers actions
were justified.
The traffic stop stemmed from a seat belt violation, agency says
Preliminary reports indicate that this incident began when five Chicago
Police officers assigned to an 11th District tactical unit engaged in a
traffic stop of Dexter Reed, Jr. for purportedly not wearing a seatbelt,
the Civilian Office of Police Accountability said in a statement Tuesday.
COPA is the city agency responsible for investigating allegations of
police misconduct and all police shootings.
Upon stopping Mr. Reed, multiple officers surrounded his vehicle while
giving verbal commands. When Mr. Reed did not comply with these commands,
officers pointed their firearms at Mr. Reed and ultimately there was an
exchange of gunfire which left Mr. Reed dead and an officer shot in the
forearm, COPA said.
Review of video footage and initial reports appears to confirm that Mr.
Reed fired first, striking the officer and four officers returned fire,
the office said.
It was not immediately clear from CNNs review of bodycam footage who
fired first.
Available preliminary evidence also confirms that officers returned fire
approximately 96 times over a period of 41 seconds, including after Mr.
Reed exited his vehicle and fell to the ground, COPA said.
Mr. Reed was struck by gunfire multiple times and was transported to the
hospital and later pronounced deceased. A gun was recovered on the front
passenger seat of Mr. Reeds vehicle.
That is nothing but plain murder to me
Reeds family members and their attorneys said they cant understand why
the officers several of whom were wearing plain clothes with their
tactical vests swarmed his car with guns.
Dexter was pulled over for failing to wear his seat belt. Now this leaves
many, many questions, attorney Steven Hart said. Why were tactical
officers jumping out of an unmarked police car with their guns drawn for a
simple traffic violation of not wearing a seatbelt?
Reeds uncle Roosevelt Banks said he would panic in that scenario.
If I was in that situation, I would be terrified. I wouldnt know how to
react other than to protect myself, Banks said after watching the
police footage.
After he was shot up you added clips to your gun? That is nothing but
plain murder to me.
But the president of a Chicago police union, the Fraternal Order of Police
Chicago Lodge #7, defended the officers response.
Of course we have a clear defense of our officer?s actions, John
Catanzara Jr. wrote in an email to CNN.
What happens next
This shooting remains under investigation by the Civilian Office of
Police Accountability (COPA) with the full cooperation of the Chicago
Police Department, the police department said in a statement Tuesday. We
cannot make a determination on this shooting until all the facts are known
and this investigation has concluded.
Its not clear whether any of the officers involved in the shooting will
face criminal charges, Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx said Tuesday.
It will be our job, based on the totality of the evidence, to determine
whether the use of force in this case was beyond that force which is
allowable under the law, Foxx said.
Our Law Enforcement Accountability Division also called LEAD will
carefully examine the totality of the circumstances and determine whether
the force used here by the officers was warranted or constitute grounds
for criminal charges.
This story has been updated with additional information.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/09/us/dexter-reed-chicago-police-shooting-
video/index.html
residential neighborhood when Chicago police fired as many as 96 bullets
toward a man during a traffic stop, killing the 26-year-old and raising
questions about whether officers used excessive force.
While a preliminary investigation suggests the driver opened fire on
officers first, his family and attorneys question why plain-clothed
officers swarmed Dexter Reeds car with guns drawn and fired dozens of
shots at him.
The fatal encounter happened in the citys Garfield Park neighborhood on
March 21. Several graphic bodycam videos were released Tuesday by
Chicagos Civilian Office of Police Accountability.
Across the country, police bodycam footage has played an increasing role
in raising awareness and understanding about officer-involved shootings.
Such evidence has been used to help convict some officers of crimes, while
other officers have avoided criminal charges after the release of bodycam
footage.
While the disturbing videos from Chicago bring more clarity to what
happened, they also raise a plethora of new questions.
What the videos show
In one video, an officer wearing a hooded jacket, a baseball cap and a
tactical vest with a badge on it approaches the driver of a white vehicle
with dark-tinted windows.
Roll the window down. Roll the window down, the officer tells the
driver. The driver initially rolled his window down but then kept rolling
it back up.
What are you doing? the officer asks. Dont roll the window up. Do not
roll the window up!
The officer pulls on the drivers door handle which appears to be locked
and then draws a gun. Unlock the doors now! Unlock the doors now! the
officer screams as another officer shouts the same demands.
The driver apparently says, OK, Im trying to.
Seconds later, as the officer retreats from the vehicle, gunfire breaks
out.
Dozens of gunshots are then heard in rapid succession.
Other bodycam videos show at least two other officers firing toward Reed
from across the street in the residential neighborhood. Both of those
officers paused to reload their guns.
After the barrage of gunfire ends, Reeds body is found lying face down
behind the vehicle.
He started shooting at us, an officer said in one of the videos.
About a minute later, an officer examines Reeds bullet-ridden car.
The guns right there, the officer says, shining a flashlight into the
vehicle.
One officer was shot in the wrist during the gunfire and was hospitalized
in good condition, Chicago police said.
Now, multiple agencies are investigating whether the officers actions
were justified.
The traffic stop stemmed from a seat belt violation, agency says
Preliminary reports indicate that this incident began when five Chicago
Police officers assigned to an 11th District tactical unit engaged in a
traffic stop of Dexter Reed, Jr. for purportedly not wearing a seatbelt,
the Civilian Office of Police Accountability said in a statement Tuesday.
COPA is the city agency responsible for investigating allegations of
police misconduct and all police shootings.
Upon stopping Mr. Reed, multiple officers surrounded his vehicle while
giving verbal commands. When Mr. Reed did not comply with these commands,
officers pointed their firearms at Mr. Reed and ultimately there was an
exchange of gunfire which left Mr. Reed dead and an officer shot in the
forearm, COPA said.
Review of video footage and initial reports appears to confirm that Mr.
Reed fired first, striking the officer and four officers returned fire,
the office said.
It was not immediately clear from CNNs review of bodycam footage who
fired first.
Available preliminary evidence also confirms that officers returned fire
approximately 96 times over a period of 41 seconds, including after Mr.
Reed exited his vehicle and fell to the ground, COPA said.
Mr. Reed was struck by gunfire multiple times and was transported to the
hospital and later pronounced deceased. A gun was recovered on the front
passenger seat of Mr. Reeds vehicle.
That is nothing but plain murder to me
Reeds family members and their attorneys said they cant understand why
the officers several of whom were wearing plain clothes with their
tactical vests swarmed his car with guns.
Dexter was pulled over for failing to wear his seat belt. Now this leaves
many, many questions, attorney Steven Hart said. Why were tactical
officers jumping out of an unmarked police car with their guns drawn for a
simple traffic violation of not wearing a seatbelt?
Reeds uncle Roosevelt Banks said he would panic in that scenario.
If I was in that situation, I would be terrified. I wouldnt know how to
react other than to protect myself, Banks said after watching the
police footage.
After he was shot up you added clips to your gun? That is nothing but
plain murder to me.
But the president of a Chicago police union, the Fraternal Order of Police
Chicago Lodge #7, defended the officers response.
Of course we have a clear defense of our officer?s actions, John
Catanzara Jr. wrote in an email to CNN.
What happens next
This shooting remains under investigation by the Civilian Office of
Police Accountability (COPA) with the full cooperation of the Chicago
Police Department, the police department said in a statement Tuesday. We
cannot make a determination on this shooting until all the facts are known
and this investigation has concluded.
Its not clear whether any of the officers involved in the shooting will
face criminal charges, Cook County States Attorney Kim Foxx said Tuesday.
It will be our job, based on the totality of the evidence, to determine
whether the use of force in this case was beyond that force which is
allowable under the law, Foxx said.
Our Law Enforcement Accountability Division also called LEAD will
carefully examine the totality of the circumstances and determine whether
the force used here by the officers was warranted or constitute grounds
for criminal charges.
This story has been updated with additional information.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/09/us/dexter-reed-chicago-police-shooting-
video/index.html