Chicago Releases Thousands Of Emails On 2014 Shooting Of Laquan McDonald

By October, Henry noted organizing by community groups around the McDonald case and the fatal shooting of 22-year-old Rekia Boyd by another Chicago officer.

At the same time, the mayor also announced the creation of a police accountability task force assigned to “review the system of accountability, oversight and training that is now in place for Chicago’s police officers”. The family ultimately received $5 million.

“The emails also included messages in which officials asked how they should respond to demands for footage”. Newly released e-mails show city hall officials scrambling to limit political damage once public pressure reached the mayor’s doorstep.

“Can anyone do an interview?”

The emails also indicate that Chicago’s Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) co-ordinated its response to the shooting with the mayor’s office and the police department.

ABC affiliate WLS-TV reported Thursday that hundreds of emails related to a separate officer-involved shooting, the April shooting that left teenager Laquan McDonald dead.

Shortly after the McDonald video was released, the city released reports of police officers at the scene of that shooting, and this week, the city’s law department released thousands of pages of internal documents as a way to demonstrate its commitment to transparency.

Chicago’s top prosecutor asked the FBI to investigate the fatal shooting of two people by a Chicago police officer who was answering an domestic disturbance call.

The video showed McDonald veering away from officers before he was repeatedly shot, including while he was facedown on the pavement.

The city’s police department is now under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, and the officer who shot McDonald has been charged with murder.

The release of the video set off weeks of demonstrations and forced the resignation of Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy.

FILE – 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 16 times in Chicago.

“In addition to building upon our public safety accomplishments, our focus for 2016 will be to restore the trust of the people of Chicago by being more transparent and continuing to work…to take a critical look at tour department to develop best-in-class policies and practices”, Interim Police Superintendent John Escalante said in the statement.

Emanuel announced changes in police training and department policies on use of force during a news conference.