Feds begin work on Chicago police probe

In the video, McDonald appeared to be walking away from Van Dyke, who was charged last month with first-degree murder.

The indictment alleges Van Dyke shot the 17-year-old knowing it “created a strong probability of death or great bodily harm”.

Van Dyke’s attorney, Daniel Herbert, did not immediately return a call from The Associated Press.

The indictment includes six counts of first-degree murder and one count of official misconduct.

High school students at Urban Prep’s campus on the South Side chanted “16 shots!” for about 10 seconds on Wednesday after Emanuel announced the members of a new board meant to create job opportunities for young minorities.

Hundreds of protesters marched through the streets near Chicago’s City Hall, blocking traffic and chanting, “16 shots and a cover-up” and “Shut it down”. The school’s leader, Tim King, was one of the people Emanuel named to the new board.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel says he is energized to finally fix a police problem that has been decades in the making.

Last week, Emanuel apologized for the 2014 shooting during a special City Council meeting that he called to discuss a police abuse scandal at the center of the biggest crisis of his administration, and promised “complete and total” reform to restore trust in the police.

The head of the Chicago police union, Dean Angelo, told WTTW-TV he already met with the USA assistant attorney general for the civil rights division, Vanita Gupta, who leads the investigation.

At the time of the shooting, a representative of the Fraternal Order of Police, the union representing rank-and-file officers, said McDonald had lunged at Van Dyke. The Reader’s Steve Boriga reported on Rahm’s speech Wednesday, several days after the City missed the dealine for the FOIA he had filed. The reports say that it would require better training among police officers and better record keeping. The Justice Department said last week that it would be looking at the Chicago department’s used of deadly force.

“I want to be clear that I’m welcoming them here and I want them to work with us because it is in our self-interest”.

Former federal prosecutor Pat Collins says this probe will be unlike the city has ever seen. There’s no rush: Investigations of far smaller departments have taken a year to finish and the one into Chicago’s 12,000-officer force could take longer.

Wednesday’s meetings in Chicago are most likely get-acquainted sessions.