Chicago on edge after police shooting video

Officer Jason Van Dyke is charged with first-degree murder for the 2014 death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, who was shot 16 times.

A national debate on race and police tactics has led to protests and sometimes violence in major cities following the deaths of mostly unarmed black men at the hands of police officers across the US. It was the police who allegedly destroyed evidence by deleting videotape recorded by a nearby Burger King security camera – video that may have contained relevant footage – shortly after the McDonald shooting.

City officials released the police dashcam video of the shooting on Tuesday. The teenager collapses. Van Dyke continues shooting, emptying his weapon.

None of the officers approach McDonald to try to help him as he bleeds out on the street, writhing once in the remaining minute of video.

The announcement from the city came after Cook County Judge Franklin Valderrama refused to give the Chicago Police Department more time before the release while the city decided whether to appeal. Jackson also said it is likely students will discuss the video when they return to classrooms Monday. Tapes from three vehicles inexplicably remained missing, the newspaper said.

Cook County’s chief prosecutor, Anita Alvarez, acknowledged that she timed the filing of the first-degree murder charge against Van Dyke to precede the video’s disclosure in a bid to mute harsh public reaction to the footage.

Jason Van Dyke is a 37-year-old white police officer. He was denied bail at a hearing Tuesday. Within seconds, Van Dyke begins firing. No information was given about his medical condition.

Van Dyke’s lawyer told CNN that the video doesn’t tell the full story.

“Police officers are entrusted to uphold the law, and to provide safety to our residents”, the mayor said in an email to reporters, as reported by Chicago Tribune.

“Video, no matter how clear it is, there are problems with video…Video by its nature is 2-dimensional”.

Alvarez noted at a press conference in Chicago that other officers on the scene said that they did not believe Van Dyke’s use of force was necessary, and Van Dyke hinted during the CBSN interview at how the defense will likely counter those claims.

The dash-cam footage has no audio, but shows Laquan Macdonald walking along the road, before falling to the ground as he is shot by Van Dyke.

Officials of Chicago Public Schools say they’re preparing for the fallout resulting from the video showing a police officer shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. As he jogs down the street, he appears to pull up his trousers and then slows to a brisk walk, veering away from two officers who are emerging from a vehicle and drawing their guns. Within seconds he is shot, spins and crumples to the ground, his body jerking as he is hit by more gunshots.

Prosecutors say the officer emptied his 9mm pistol of all 16 rounds and that he was on the scene for just 30 seconds before he started shooting. Several local branches of the NAACP called for changes to a police review board that they said was too cozy with the department itself and urged a federal investigation into that board.

The release of the graphic video Tuesday evening inspired protests, during which five people were arrested. Members of the City Council’s black caucus again demanded the resignation of Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy. “We want mass demonstrations, mass voter registration”.