Chicago officers fired 96 times after being fired upon, police accountability office says

CHICAGO (WGN) — The Civilian Office of Police Accountability released video Tuesday showing an exchange of gunfire between Chicago police officers and a 26-year-old man last month that ended with officers firing nearly 100 rounds.

Dexter Reed was shot and killed by officers on March 21 at 6 p.m. in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood after plainclothes officers initiated a traffic stop.

Investigators with COPA say a review of video evidence and initial reports appear to confirm Reed fired first.

"Available preliminary evidence also confirms that officers returned fire approximately 96 times over a period of 41 seconds, including after Mr. Reed exited his vehicle and fell to the ground," COPA said in a statement.

A police officer was hit by gunfire in the forearm.

Reed was hit by gunfire multiple times and died at a nearby hospital.

The below video is a portion of the released video. COPA has made the full footage available on its website here.

"This shooting remains under investigation by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) with the full cooperation of the Chicago Police Department," CPD said in a statement. "We cannot make a determination on this shooting until all the facts are known and this investigation has concluded." 

Reed’s family and their attorney, Andrew Stroth, also spoke Tuesday. Stroth described the shooting by police as “horrific."

Mayor Brandon Johnson also called the footage "deeply disturbing" at a news conference late Tuesday morning, attended by representatives of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office, after COPA released the body-cam footage.

"I know this footage is extremely painful and traumatic for many of our city’s residents," he said. "It will be especially difficult for those of us living in communities where the events depicted occur all too often.

"As mayor, and as a father raising a family — including two Black boys on the West Side — I am personally devastated to see yet another young Black man lose his life during an interaction with the police."

Mayor Johnson said he spoke to Reed's family over the weekend.

"My heart breaks for the family of Dexter Reed," he said. "They are grieving the loss of a son, a brother and a nephew."

Johnson said the officers involved in the shooting are on a 30-day administrative leave and that Reed's family was given the opportunity to view the body-cam footage before it was released to the public.

The mayor also gave strong support to law enforcement, saying, "I want to be clear: Shooting a police officer can never be condoned, or excused. I will never stand for that."

Johnson said he's "been praying for the full recovery of the officer who was shot during this interaction" and that he visited that officer in the hospital.

"If that bullet had hit him a few inches in a different direction, I would be here today talking about the loss of another young Black man," the mayor said.

Johnson promised transparency "when someone is shot and killed by police in our city."

"Attempts to withhold or delay information are mistakes of the past, and we have already taken concrete steps to start a full investigation into this case," he said.

The mayor concluded by calling for peace and healing.

"As this city remembers the life of Dexter Reed, I urge everyone to remain peaceful and not
lead our city down a path of division, but instead toward healing and change for the better," he said. "We all grieve the loss of life and the trauma that follows pervasive violence.

"We cannot ever accept violence as a way of life in Chicago."

Chicago Fraternal Order of Police President John Catanzara posted a YouTube video on Tuesday criticizing COPA's release of the body-cam footage.

"The sad reality is this is yet another attempt by COPA, and specifically its chief administrator, Andrea Kersten, of dividing the community against the police department," Catanzara said.

Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said in a statement, "The violence in this video is shocking. My heart goes out to Dexter’s family and friends, who are grieving the loss of his young life.

"Our law enforcement officers protect and serve their communities with honor and courage and face many risks, but any who fail to follow the high standards they have sworn to uphold must be held accountable. As we continue to gather the facts surrounding this horrific incident, I am hopeful that a thorough investigation will be conducted in a fair and timely manner."

On Monday night, before the release of the video, CPD Supt. Larry Snelling asked the public to watch the footage before believing what’s being said on social media.

“I know that you can make your own decisions when you look at that video,” Snelling implored. “But it’s not the things that you’ve been told.”