Obscure knife-gun cited in Chicago police shooting case

4, 2015, the city of Chicago released more than 300 pages of police reports into the shooting death of Laquan McDonald by Officer Jason Van Dyke. Van Dyke also said he recalled a 2012 officer safety bulletin that warned officers about the existence of knives with.22-caliber revolvers built into the handle.

In this October 20, 2014 frame from dash-cam video provided by the Chicago Police Department, Laquan McDonald, right, walks down the street moments before being shot by officer Jason Van Dyke in Chicago.

“Based on information available at the time of this report it is the preliminary determination of the undersigned officer that Officer Van Dyke fired his weapon in compliance with Department policy”, states a “Tactical Response Report” filed the day after the shooting.

The new details in the case emerged with the release of hundreds of pages of handwritten and typed reports Chicago police generated before McDonald’s death was ruled a justifiable homicide, a conclusion reached just hours after he was shot. The statements claim Van Dyke was in danger because the 17-year-old attempted to attack the officer with a three-inch blade knife he had in his possession.

Federal officials with the Justice Department have been called in to investigate the shooting itself and the subsequent investigation, according to a law enforcement source. The authority, which did not return a message left Friday, has not released its report on the McDonald shooting.

The Chicago Tribune report indicated that Van Dyke may have had an explanation for the killing of Laquan McDonald.

In a statement to The Wall Street Journal, the police department said a local review of officer conduct in the shooting has been suspended in light of the continuing U.S. Department of Justice investigation.

The release of the reports Friday comes amid mounting questions about the Chicago Police Department’s handling of the incident.

With aftershocks from the release of dashcam video showing McDonald’s shooting still rumbling through Chicago, a dashcam video of yet another fatal police shooting is about to be released.

In one report, Van Dyke is quoted as saying that from his training he knew that an assailant with a knife posed a deadly threat, possibly hurling the weapon at the officer.

Chicago authorities also have not been able to explain why the dashcam footage released to the public, including from other squad cars on the scene, doesn’t include audio that could shed light on what happened.

The reports hint at how Van Dyke may try to defend his actions.

In the Johnson case, family attorney Michael D. Oppenheimer told reporters in the wake of Emanuel’s announcement he “wasn’t that surprised, given the pressure we’ve put on them, the press has put on them, that the public has put on them”. The mayor called for police department reform, and said he took responsibility for the force’s failings.

Reuters could not immediately obtain the police reports. Release of the video has led to a torrent of protest and criticism over the way Emanuel and his police department handled the investigation into the shooting.

In April, the family of LaQuan McDonald agreed to a $5 million settlement prior to any lawsuit being filed, but the agreement signed by Chicago’s top lawyer names six Chicago police officers, including two officers, two detectives, one sergeant and one lieutenant. “VD continued firing. O appeared to be attempting to get up, still holding the knife, pointing at VD”. He described how he eventually kicked the knife away from McDonald and then told the dying teenager “Hang in there” as an ambulance was called. One report said McDonald showed “irrational behavior”, such as ignoring verbal directions, “growling” and making noises. A medical examiner’s report said the hallucinogen PCP was found in his system.