Chicago Mayor Met With ’16 Shots!’ Chant During School Visit

The officer was charged with first-degree murder for shooting McDonald 16 times.

Among other things, the investigation will examine whether there are patterns of racial disparity in the Police Department’s use of force.

Federal officials meeting the mayor and police this week included Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s civil rights division, and Zachary Fardon, U.S. Attorney for northern IL.

Emanuel’s office did not respond to questions about who joined the mayor in the morning meeting, how long it lasted or why it took place at City Hall rather than the federal building on Dearborn Street.

A grand jury has indicted a Chicago police officer charged in the shooting death of teenager Laquan McDonald.

Emanuel revealed the meeting Wednesday, saying he would “welcome them, they’re here, we’re going to fully cooperate, everybody, and it is in our self-interest as a city that they’re here”.

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.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel plans to sit down with federal investigators Thursday on the second day of the Justice Department’s investigation of the Chicago Police Department.

These actions were followed by nearly daily protests, with critics asking why it took 13 months for the city to release the video and for a murder charge to be filed by Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.

If Emanuel doesn’t resign, a recall effort may do the job for him: Less than 90,000 voter signatures are needed to recall the mayor under legislation that was just introduced in the Illinois General Assembly by a representative from Chicago. “It is in our self-interest as a city that they’re here”, Emanuel said of the probe.

But department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said the department has made “historic” strides in promoting African Americans and said that with the most recent promotions half of the department’s senior command staff is now made up of African Americans.