(WBBM NEWSRADIO) – Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling urged people from jumping to conclusions following the release of video showing a fatal exchange of gunfire between a group of officers and a motorist last month.
Snelling on Friday made his first extensive remarks about the death of Dexter Reed, the 26-year-old who was pulled over by police March 21 on the West Side.
Bodycam video released by the watchdog agency COPA on Tuesday shows Reed firing at an officer, who was wounded, and officers firing nearly 100 rounds at him. The family of Reed question the circumstances of the traffic stop and the response of police officers.
"A police officer was shot – repeat, a police officer was shot," Snelling told reporters during an appearance to discuss robberies. "A man lost his life. A man lost his life. This isn't something we should take lightly."
Snelling said an independent investigation is ongoing and urged cooler heads to prevail in the interim. He said there will be accountability, if warranted.
"We know what these types of situations can lead to. It's a powder keg. Do we want to see our city burn? Do we want people fighting with each other? Do we want more destruction and damage?"
Records now show a history of complaints made against the five CPD officers involved in the fatal shooting of Reed and many involve aggressive traffic stops.
While some questions remain unanswered concerning why Reed was pulled over by a five person tactical team, a records request by the Chicago Sun- Times reveals a combined 41 complaints filed against the officers involved over the past five years with nearly all of those cases still open.
Snelling addressed questions about the Consent Decree, which was put in place to prevent similar events as the shooting death of Reed, and what can be said to convince the public that another like it won't happen again.
"The consent decree is just a piece of paper if we're not actually doing something."
Policy development through the consent decree, training and operational compliance are still incomplete, he added.
Snelling also addressed questions about how a 23-year- old officer ended up in a tactical unit in one of the most violent police districts in the city.
"I will say this and again I don't want to jeopardize the integrity of the investigation," he said in response. "This is something we're looking into. We have a very, very young department."
Law Enforcement officials, speaking to WBBM in the past have warned against pitting young officers into the most complex situations faced by humanity, with little to no experience in life or policing while carrying a gun.
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