Chicago’s police superintendent has called for the firing of the five officers who were a part of the 2014 incident that led to a black teen being shot 16 times.
Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson advised that officer Jason Van Dyke, who is charged with first degree murder after allegedly shooting Laquan McDonald 16 times, and the four other officers involved, be terminated, reports The Huffington Post.
In charges filed Tuesday, Johnson said that all the officers involved allegedly made untrue and distorted statements. Sergeant Stephen Franko and officers Janet Mondragon, Daphne Sebastian, Ricardo Viramontes and Van Dyke are named.
“The Superintendent has recommended that each of the five officers be discharged from the Chicago Police Department. The public is reminded that the filing of charges is not evidence of guilt,” the Police Board said in a statement.
The 2014 shooting involved McDonald, a 17-year-old black man, and Van Dyke, who allegedly shot the teen 16 times. The other officers claimed that McDonald had lunged at Van Dyke with a knife. Dashcam footage, which was released a year after the shooting, showed McDonald carrying a small knife, but walking away.
According to the footage, Van Dyke kept shooting even though the teen was on the ground.
Johnson’s suggestion starts the beginning of the formal process to fire the officers. The Police Board has to review it, and make a decision on the terminations. The Board is made up of nine members appointed by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
The officers’ case is set to appear before the board in September.
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