OOPS!
Laquan McDonald police reports differ dramatically from video
Chicago Tribune | November 4, 2015, 9:33PMHundreds of pages of newly released Chicago police reports from the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald are striking for one simple thing: They are dramatically at odds with the dash-cam videotape that has sparked protests across Chicago, cost the city's top cop his job and embroiled Mayor Rahm Emanuel in scandal.
The reports, released by the city late Friday, show that at least five officers, as well as Officer Jason Van Dyke, said that the 17-year-old McDonald moved toward officers, even though the videotape of the October 2014 shooting showed McDonald walking away.
At least one said he was advancing on the officers in a menacing way and swung his knife at them in an "aggressive, exaggerated manner" before he was shot and killed. Officers claimed, too, that even after McDonald had been shot repeatedly by Van Dyke, he tried to lift himself off the ground with the knife pointed toward the officers, suggesting that, though he had been mortally wounded, he presented a threat.
The reports are written in police shorthand, and refer to Van Dyke as VD – and call him a victim. McDonald is O, for the offender.
"VD believed O was attacking w/knife," said a report of Van Dyke's account. "Trying to kill VD. In defense of his life, VD backpedaled + fired. O fell to ground, continued to move/grasp knife. VD continued firing. O appeared to be attempting to get up. Still holding knife. Pointing at VD."
The statements, many of them handwritten, prompted police supervisors to rule McDonald's death a justifiable homicide just hours after he had been shot 16 times on South Pulaski Road and 41st Street, and then to close the case entirely Dec. 20, two months later.
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Chicago police and the Cook County state's attorney's office were unavailable for comment late Friday.
Dean Angelo, president of Lodge 7 of the Fraternal Order of Police, said in a text message to the Tribune that he did not want to comment about an ongoing investigation.
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