News
Laquan McDonald murder: Chicago Mayor fires Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy
Chicago’s police chief Garry McCarthy was fired on Tuesday following days of unrest over video footage showing the shooting of a black teenager and the filing of murder charges against a white police officer in the young man’s death.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced during a news conference he had asked McCarthy to resign. The mayor also said he was creating a new police accountability task force.
The white officer, Jason Van Dyke, was charged a week ago with first-degree murder in the killing of Laquan McDonald, who was shot 16 times. The video of the killing was released on the same day.
High-profile killings of unarmed black men at the hands of mainly white law enforcement officials in U.S. cities have prompted demonstrations in the last 2 years, stoking a national debate on race relations and police tactics.
The mayor, a Democrat and the former chief of staff to U.S. President Barack Obama, said he was responsible for what happened in the case, the same as the police superintendent.
“I am responsible. I do not shirk that responsibility,” Emanuel said. He added that the creation of the task force was meant to rebuild trust in the police department of one of the country’s largest cities. Emanuel said McCarthy had become an issue and “a distraction.” In an editorial on Tuesday, the Chicago Sun-Times had called for McCarthy’s resignation. The Chicago City Council black caucus and some protesters had also called for him to leave.
“I have a lot of loyalty to what he’s done and him, but I have more loyalty to the city of Chicago and its future,” Emanuel said.
Emanuel, McCarthy and Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez have faced criticism for taking 13 months to release the video of the 2014 shooting and to charge Van Dyke.
Policing and street violence have emerged as leading issues for Emanuel since his election in April to a second term after being forced into a runoff.
The video shows Van Dyke gunning down McDonald, 17, in the middle of a street on October 20, 2014, as McDonald was walking away from police who had confronted him. Van Dyke, 37, was released from jail on Monday after posting bond on a US$1.5 million bail.
