Activists call for firings of officers involved in Dexter Reed shooting at CPD board meeting – NBC Chicago

Activists from several different organizations gathered at Chicago Police Department headquarters Thursday before a board meeting, calling for the firing of officers involved in the fatal shooting of Dexter Reed.

According to the Chicago Civilian Office of Police Accountability, the Chicago Police Department’s oversight board, five Chicago officers assigned to a tactical unit in the 11th District arrested Reed on March 21 in the 3800 block of West Ferdinand for ” not having worn a seat belt.”

As the group arrested Reed, several officers surrounded his vehicle and, according to several body camera videos, asked him to roll down his windows several times. The officers then yelled at Reed not to roll up the windows and to unlock his doors.

As the police shouts grew louder, gunfire began.

The police watchdog agency said a “review of video footage and initial reports appears to confirm that Mr. Reed fired first, striking the officer, and that four officers returned fire.”

The videos show several points of view, including that of the police officer who was shot. But there are no clear images of Reed’s shooting. A firearm was later recovered from Reed’s vehicle.

Activists who attended Thursday’s board meeting called for an end to tactical units like the one that arrested Reed, while demanding the firing of the five officers involved in the shooting.

Andrea Kersten, COPA president, said the way she handled the matter is a testament to her efforts to provide transparency to the public.

While CPD Supt. Larry Snelling said he recognizes that transparency is of the utmost importance. He said he withheld comment on the shooting to avoid “poisoning the well” regarding public discourse around the shooting.

“I think this should be investigated 100 percent,” Snelling said.

The Chicago Police Board made it clear that no disciplinary action would be taken Thursday.