Carson calls police shooting of Chicago teen ‘despicable’

The release of a police video of the shooting of the teenager and the filing of a murder charge against Van Dyke on November 24 came more than a year after McDonald’s death. Protesters allege a cover up and have called for the resignation of Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.

While a police review board found the officers’ actions justified, Emanuel said Monday that he didn’t see how the treatment of Coleman “could possibly be acceptable”. Yet, while protestors are demanding the resignation of Mayor Rahm Emanuel, one black youth leader wants the Chicago Police Department to be defunded.

“When he saw you he greeted you with a hug”, the uncle said.

McDonald’s mother was not in attendance because she’s “hurting and traumatized by the constant reminder and senseless death of her son”, Hunter said, referencing the video, which has been replayed on TV frequently.

“We also must make sure everybody who had a role in suppressing or covering up this evidence of the [Laquan McDonald] videotape are held accountable”, said Cook County Commissioner Richard Boykin.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Hunter also thanked those who have been demanding justice for McDonald during daily protests in Chicago.

Carson criticized the year-long delay in releasing the video showing Officer Jason Van Dyke firing 16 shots at McDonald as he walked away from police in October 2014. The timing of that payment so shortly after Emanuel’s job was secure again has raised suspicions that City Hall knew more about the gap between police officials’ story and the video evidence during the campaign.

Hunter, from the Grace Memorial Baptist Church, called on the president to convene a federal summit in North Lawndale, the Chicago neighborhood where McDonald was from, to address police violence and brutality.

The country’s third-largest city has experienced more than two weeks of protests since the release of the video of the shooting in which McDonald was hit 16 times.

The footage was kept from the public until last month and was released upon a judge’s order.

Alvarez has defended her office, calling it a complex investigation. Emanuel apologized in recent days that the incident occurred under his administration. The officer involved in the shooting has since been charged with murder.

Police accountability protests continued in Chicago Thursday. He fired the police chief and named a new head of the agency that investigates police conduct.