A new video released by the American city of Chicago shows the city’s police brutally shooting an unarmed African-American teenager.
According to the account of the story, 17-year-old Cedrick Chatman was shot as he fled officers who stopped him for a car theft. The officers were identified as Kevin Fry and Lou Toth.
Local media in the city narrated that Chatman was shot in the afternoon of January 7, 2013, in the South Shore neighborhood of the city. The police also said Chatman and two others, Akeem Clarke and Martel Odum, robbed a man who was selling a cell phone. Chatman drove off in the man’s car, while Clarke and Odum kept the cash from the robbery.
According to the police, the officers had stopped the silver Dodge Charger Chatman was driving because it matched the description of the reported stolen car. However, as the officers approached, Chatman bolted from the car and ran down Jeffrey Avenue. The officers that had approached Chatman, were dressed in plainclothes.
Officer Fry, who fired at Chatman, told investigators in 2013 that he saw Chatman turn around and point an object at them when they tried to arrest him. He said this action prompted him to fire four shots, hitting Chatman twice.
Attorneys for Chatman’s family disputed this account, and called for the footage of the incident to be made public. In response, the police objected to the release of the video, arguing that it will not help in the investigation process.
Judge Gettleman ripped city attorney’s for their “irresponsible” sudden change of position. All of a sudden “it’s the Age of Enlightenment?”
— Jason Meisner (@jmetr22b) January 14, 2016
However, attorneys for the family pushed for the release of the video again early this year, and District Court Judge Robert Gettleman sided with them, lifting the Protective Order on the recordings of the incident on January 14.
“I went to a lot of trouble to decide this issue, and then I get this motion last night saying that this is the age of enlightenment with the city and we’re going to be transparent. I think it’s irresponsible,” Gettleman said during his ruling.
From the video, Chatman is seen running away from the car. One of the officers then pointed his gun and fired in his direction. When the camera panned over to the other corner, Chatman is seen lying motionless on the ground. The video never showed Chatman pointing an object at the officers.
@ShaunKing UPDATE #CedrickChatman Police Shooting Video WILL Be Released To Public Today https://t.co/2SN8sOZEjU pic.twitter.com/EAltlgTyvb
— Justin Breen (@dnainfo_breen) January 14, 2016
The shooting was captured on the police surveillance camera, a camera outside a nearby convenience store, and a camera near the South Shore High School.
The Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) had ruled earlier that the shooting was justified. The IPRA said in a report, “The video supports Officer Fry’s observation that (Chatman) was pointing a firearm at Officer Toth,” concluding that the “use of deadly force was in compliance with Chicago Police Department policy.”
Another police killing, another video being released, another Laquan McDonald. His name is #CedrickChatman. Time for Rahm to step down.
— Karen Hunter (@karenhunter) January 14, 2016
The video revealed that the object Chatman was holding was a black box containing an iPhone, which he never pointed at the officers.
It is said a senior IPRA investigator, Lorenzo Davis, was fired after he concluded in his investigation that the shooting was unacceptable. 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. Davis had reviewed the surveillance videos during the course of his investigation. He had told the Chicago Tribune, that he never saw Chatman turn toward the officers.
“Chatman was just running as the shots were fired. You’re taught that deadly force is a last resort and that you should do everything in your power to apprehend the person before you use deadly force. I did not see where deadly force was called for at that time,” Davis said.
One of the attorneys for Chatman’s family, Brian Coffman, told local media that the release of the video would show a systemic problem in the city. He was quoted as saying, “This is a bomb that’s about to drop in the city of Chicago, where everyone suddenly realizes the system is broken.”
In November 2015, Officer Jason Van Dyke from the Chicago Police Department was indicted for first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a black teenager, Laquan McDonald, in October 2014. McDonald was shot 16 times by Van Dyke. When the video of the incident was released, it triggered many protests in the city, with protesters alleging that there has been a cover up of the case, and that some city officials must resign.
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Someone from family should take axe, and kill some random cop from behind. Family honor, and family blood revenge is the only one way to stop that sht.
Somebody should have raised this kid not to rob people of their cell phones and steal their cars. Would he have been involved in playing a sport or community service he might still be alive. Encourage young people to become criminals by “take axe” and killing another person and you will have the blood of not only the cop on your hand, but also the dumb kid who does this. Grow up. This kid’s death is sad. The video is too blurry to see squat and you can’t tell what happened when the thief ran out of video shot. There are too many truly innocent young people dying of senseless gun violence in Chicago to make a hero out of a young man involved in a felony. I’m sorry he died. I’m mostly sorry he died while engaged in criminal activity – wish he’d had someone in his life to lead him in a different direction.
Too many shots…should always be ONE SHOT….ONE KILL.
return this cop for proper traininh…
Then by your same logic. There should be a likewise debt collected on all the family and ppk who knew the kid who was out committing crimes and victimizing them. Also being his deeds were committed first..prior to the officers… all debts on his side have to be paid in full first.. then he can have his due… sound fair?
Stupid dumbass….lol
He’s a criminal..a felon… and if he didn’t want to chance getting shot..he shouldn’t of ran… if he didn’t want to get chased by police…he shouldn’t of commited the crimes. He should of working a legitimate job or seeking one..or going to college and focusing on a higher education.
There is an old time Radio show that was called “The Shadow”.. the lead character ” super hero” The Shadow always said…”Crime does not pay”
And this it didn’t for him..it did not pay.. that loser piece of garbage ended up costing his own life because he chose to live and do what he did.. he chose that path… he chose to take that risk.. that possibility where it could go all wrong and end his life..
This is about one stupid dumb as kid who chose a to commit crimes..and that choice ended his own life.. does not the Bible say ..wages of sin is death? There you go.. death for his sins of crime and victimizing innocent ppl.
Would your opinion be different if it was a Asian kid? How about white kid? Hispanic? How about illegal Syrian refugee on the way to commit a terrorist act? Would you view it different if he wasn’t black?
If so your a true racist.. you only see color..
I see a dumas kid who is a criminal.. and his life of crime got him killed because he was so fucking stupid he couldn’t even own up to his own and be a man and accept responsibility for his actions.. Instead he was a punk as coward and fled and ran away from owning up to his own choices.
If your bad as enough to commit a crime be bad as enough to own up for it..your proud of it then fave up go do the time prove your proud of what you do..don’t be a little bitch and run away. That’s just asking the cops to shoot you..suicide by cop… because you can’t fucking be a man and take responsibility for your own choices.
I am an ex felon.. I paid my dues.. I did my time.. and now I am a law abiding positive and contri ING member of society..have been for twenty some plus years…
You reap what you sew.. and karma is always there to knock you on your assistance when you think you get away with shot in life that isn’t right..
Karma caught up with him… and even gave him a chance to go peacefully…surrender and own up to his..make it righr.. but he chose to fight..to flee ..to resist… and that choice was the wrong one.. for that day he had only two choices.. surrender or die..
What are you some kind of Idiot,,that’s real smart ,read the Bible some time.
Skillz, your comment is so wrong on every level. You should go educate yourself and you will probably learn that violence only bring more violence.
You are a voice of reason. Stop the violence. Raise our kids to not take by force what does not belong to them and to avoid bad company. Wish this kid had been involved in Habitat for Humanity or some other worthy work. He’d be alive.
An unarmed man who was said to have just carjacked a citizen minutes prior to the incident. Though tragic, we aren’t talking about an alter boy here.
How about you don’t run from the cops? You don’t run you won’t be at risk to be shot! Plain and simple. Better yet, how about getting a job and stop stealing and running from cops.
Nothing is said as to why he ran. When you run from the cops, you can expect to get shot. You bring it on yourself.
I’ve never been shot at by cops. Of course, I don’t steal cars or rob people. Wonder if that’s a coincidence?