Chicago releases video footage from 2013 of police killing unarmed teen

On Thursday, the city released video of a 2013 shooting in which a white officer shot and killed a 17-year-old black carjacking suspect, igniting fresh concerns.

On why the city chose to stop fighting the release of the tape, Stephen R. Patton from Chicago’s Law Department said,”With respect to the release of videos of police incidents, the City of Chicago is working to find the right balance between the public’s interest in disclosure and the importance of protecting the integrity of investigations and the judicial process”.

Officer Fry and his partner, Officer Lou Toth were chasing Chatman on foot on January 7, 2013 – Chatman was a suspect in a auto theft – when, according to Fry’s testimony, Chatman made “a slight turn” toward the officers, reports CNN. It turns out Chatman was unarmed and holding a black iPhone box.

Although activists say they are pleased with the release of the video, they are still leery about the city’s shift in philosophy as it relates to the fatal shootings of unarmed citizens.

The Independent Police Review Authority, which investigates police shootings, cleared the officer who shot Chatman of any wrongdoing. “The importance of releasing the video is it helps promote the change in transparency that everybody wants and the mayor has pledged”.

Chatman’s alleged accomplices were later charged with felony counts of carjacking and robbery, in addition to murder (due to Chatman’s death), though the murder charges were later dropped.

Fry said in a 2014 deposition that he opened fire with his.

The city’s prior opposition to releasing the videos of Chatman’s shooting – as late as December – has brought on new heat.

But attorneys for Chatman’s mother, Linda Chatman, filed a wrongful death suit against them.

The events leading up to the fatal shooting apparently began with the beating of a man who had a “side business” selling iPhones that he later claimed were lost or stolen so he could get a replacement, the police documents released Friday show. The video doesn’t have sound, so it’s not clear when the first shots were fired, but as Chatman ducks between two parked cars, he and Toth both duck. Lorenzo Davis said his last performance review accused him of “a complete lack of objectivity combined with a clear bias against the police” and said he was the only supervisor who refused to make ” requested changes as directed by management in order to reflect the correct finding” in cases of officer-involved shootings.

According to the lawsuit filed by Chatman’s family, a maximum of seven seconds passed between Chatman jumping out of his vehicle and the police opening fire.

The shooting was captured on a police surveillance camera, a camera outside a nearby convenience store, and a camera near the South Shore High School. Her attorney, Brian Coffman, says the teen never turned toward the officers and posed no threat. Chatman then hits an all-out sprint along the sidewalk toward an intersection.

Chicagoans have called for an overhaul of government, demanding the resignation of Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

“I’m very disturbed about the way this has happened”, Gettleman said. Pastors representing a coalition of African American clergy reacted to the release of the video of the Chatman shooting during a news conference Thursday.

“The city of Chicago has had not only the last month and a half, they’ve had over the last 21/2 years to be transparent in this case”, Coffman said.