Urban Prep students chant ’16 shots’ at Rahm Emanuel

During his brief speech to students, Emanuel alluded to the city’s crisis since the release of dashcam video showing the fatal police shooting of Laquan McDonald, noting “it’s a particular time in the city”.

Emanuel has been accused of delaying the video’s release until after February’s mayoral election.

The indictment alleges that Van Dyke acted “without legal justification” in the McDonald shooting.

Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez charged Van Dyke with murder, but her office faces criticism for the timing. But Emanuel quickly changed course and said he would welcome federal involvement.

Interim Superintendent John Escalante told a city council hearing Tuesday police are entering uncharted territory as they prepare to answer inquiries.

Chicago police union head Dean Angelo told WTTW-TV he’s already met with top DOJ officials. Angelo described it as an off-the-record talk, saying he conveyed that the union wanted to “help facilitate the moving parts of the investigation”.

The Chicago Police Department “pledges the city’s complete and full cooperation”, said police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.

Over coming months, investigators will talk to everyone from beat cops to elected officials.

Among the many questions federal investigators will answer in a final report: Is there racial bias in the use of force by officers?

During the launch of a new program called “Chicago’s My Brother’s Keeper Cabinet”, which is aimed at helping teens in need, students at Urban Prep began chanting “16 shots!”

Van Dyke’s attorney, Daniel Herbert, said he had not heard about the indictment on Wednesday, but said “it would not come as a surprise”.

Early Wednesday afternoon as the mayor signed a pact with major universities pledging to invest in Chicago, CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine asked him about what happened at Urban Prep and what it said about his future.

Protesters say they will put economic pressure on the city to meet their demands by initiating #BlackChristmas to shut down Michigan Avenue on Christmas Eve.

Van Dyke will next appear at the Leighton Criminal Courthouse on Friday.