When Law Enforcement Violates Our Trust

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Hundreds of pages of newly released Chicago police reports from the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald are most striking for one simple reason: They are dramatically at odds with the dash-cam video that has sparked protests across the city, 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 Officer Jason Van Dyke and at least five other officers claim that the 17-year-old McDonald moved or turned threateningly toward officers, even though the video of the October 2014 shooting shows McDonald walking away, and the scenario sketched out by Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez in charging Van Dyke with murder contends he was walking away as well.

At least one patrol officer said McDonald 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 by Van Dyke, the teen tried to lift himself off the ground with the knife pointed toward the officers, and though he had been mortally wounded, still presented a threat….

According to Van Dyke’s account, he repeatedly ordered McDonald to drop the knife, which he failed to do. McDonald advanced, Van Dyke said.

“When McDonald got within 10 to 15 feet of Officer Van Dyke, McDonald looked toward Van Dyke,” the report states. “McDonald raised the knife across his chest and over shoulder, pointing the knife at Van Dyke.”

Van Dyke then shot McDonald until his gun magazine was empty. No other officers fired their guns….

In December 2014, the department officially recorded the shooting as a justifiable homicide.

“McDonald committed aggravated assault against the three officers, finally forcing Officer Van Dyke, in defense of his life, to shoot and kill McDonald,” according to a report of that determination.