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GOOD AFTERNOON. AS YOU

KNOW, WE HAVE CHARGED
CHICAGO POLICE OFFICER
JASON VAN DYKE WITH FIRST
DEGREE MURDER IN
CONNECTION WITH THE
SHOOTING DEATH OF LAQUAN
MCDONALD.

LAQUAN MCDONALD WAS 17

YEARS OLD WHEN HE WAS
SHOT AND KILLED BY THE
DEFENDANT ON OCTOBER 20,

2014 AT APPROXIMATELY 9:57

PM ON THE CITYS SOUTHWEST
SIDE.
I AM GOING TO BEGIN MY
REMARKS BY SUMMARIZING
THE FACTS OF THIS CASE AS
WE PROFFERED THEM IN
COURT A SHORT TIME AGO:

ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 20,

2014, THE DEFENDANT WAS
WORKING ON-DUTY AS A
UNIFORMED POLICE OFFICER

WORKING WITH A PARTNER IN

A PATROL CAR ASSIGNED TO
THE OVERNIGHT SHIFT IN THE
CHICAGO POLICE
DEPARTMENTS 8TH DISTRICT.
THE CIRCUMSTANCES LEADING
UP TO THE SHOOTING THAT
EVENING BEGAN AT 9:47 P.M.
WHEN A CHICAGO POLICE
DISPATCHER RADIOED TO AN
8TH DISTRICT BEAT CAR THAT A
CITIZEN WAS HOLDING A MALE
WHO HE HAD CAUGHT
BREAKING INTO TRUCKS AND

STEALING RADIOS IN A
PARKING LOT NEAR 41ST AND
KILDARE.
THAT MALE WAS LATER
IDENTIFIED AS LAQUAN
MCDONALD.

THE RADIO DISPATCHES WERE

BROADCAST TO ALL 8TH
DISTRICT PATROL UNITS.

AT 9:53 P.M. A RESPONDING

BEAT CAR RELATED THAT THE

GUY IS WALKING AWAY WITH A

KNIFE IN HIS HAND, AND THE
DISPATCHER INQUIRED AS TO
WHETHER ANY AVAILABLE
UNITS HAD A TASER.

ANOTHER BEAT CAR

RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY
THAT THEY WERE ON THEIR
WAY, ALTHOUGH THEY DID NOT
INDICATE WHETHER OR NOT
THEY HAD A TASER.

ONE MINUTE LATER, A

RESPONDING OFFICER
RADIOED THAT THE SUSPECT
WAS WALKING TOWARD A
NEARBY BURGER KING

RESTAURANT LOCATED ON
PULASKI ROAD.

THE DISPATCHER CONFIRMED

THE LOCATION, REMINDED ALL
UNITS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL
WAS ARMED WITH A KNIFE,
AND THEN CONTINUED TO ASK
IF ANY OTHER UNITS WERE IN
CLOSE PROXIMITY.
AT 9:56 P.M., ONE OF THE
RESPONDING BEAT CAR
OFFICERS RADIOED THAT THE
SUSPECT HAD JUST USED THE
KNIFE TO SLASH THE TIRE ON
THEIR SQUAD CAR. SECONDS
LATER, BEAT CAR 845-R

RADIOED THAT THEY WERE

TWO BLOCKS FROM THE
INCIDENT.
BEAT CAR 845-R WAS THE
RESPONDING POLICE UNIT IN
WHICH OFFICER VAN DYKE WAS
A PASSENGER.

THE SQUAD WAS BEING DRIVEN

BY HIS PARTNER.

SECONDS LATER, TWO

ADDITIONAL POLICE OFFICER

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BEATS RESPONDED THROUGH

RADIO TRANSMISSIONS THAT
THEY WERE ON THEIR WAY AS
WELL.
AT THAT POINT, A TOTAL OF
EIGHT OFFICERS, INCLUDING
THE DEFENDANT AND HIS
PARTNER, HAD ARRIVED ON
THE SCENE IN FOUR VEHICLES
TO ASSIST THE OFFICERS WHO
HAD THE INITIAL CONTACT
WITH LAQUAN. NONE OF
THESE OFFICERS WERE
EQUIPPED WITH TASERS.

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THE DASH CAMERA OF ONE OF

THE RESPONDING BEAT CARS
CAPTURED THE SHOOTING, BUT
NO AUDIO WAS RECORDED.
ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE
OTHER RESPONDING UNITS
HAD OPERATING DASH
CAMERAS, DUE TO THEIR
POSITIONING THEY DID NOT
CAPTURE THE ACTUAL
SHOOTING, NOR DO THEY
CONTAIN AUDIO RECORDINGS.

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INVESTIGATORS RECOVERED
VIDEO FROM A LOCAL
BUSINESS THAT SHOWED
LAQUAN WALKING AWAY FROM
THE INITIAL OFFICERS
TOWARDS 40TH STREET.
ATTEMPTS TO DOWNLOWAD
VIDEO FROM ANOTHER LOCAL
BUSINESS WERE
UNSUCCESSFUL, BUT IT WAS
DETERMINED THAT THE
CAMERAS AT THAT LOCATION

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WOULD NOT HAVE CAPTURED

THE SCENE OF THE SHOOTING.

FINALLY, VIDEO FROM A THIRD

LOCAL BUSINESS WAS
RECOVERED BUT DUE TO THE
DISTANCE AND OBSTRUCTIONS,
THAT VIDEO WAS DEEMED TO
BE OF VERY LIMITED
EVIDENTIARY VALUE.
THE DASH CAMERA VIDEO
SHOWS LAQUAN MCDONALD AS

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HE JOGS SOUTH ON PULASKI,

PASSING THE BURGER KING.
AT THE 9:57:25 P.M. TIME
STAMP ON THE VIDEO, THE
RECORDING SHOWS TWO
OTHER MARKED CHICAGO
POLICE SUVS ON THE SCENE.
AT THAT TIME, LAQUAN WAS
WALKING, AND AS HE PASSES
ONE OF THE RESPONDING
POLICE UNITS HE WAVES HIS
RIGHT ARM AND A KNIFE IS
VISIBLE IN HIS RIGHT HAND.

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FIVE SECONDS LATER, OFFICER

VAN DYKE AND HIS PARTNER
PARKED THEIR VEHICLE AND
IMMEDIATELY DRAW THEIR
WEAPONS.

AT THAT TIME, LAQUAN

MCDONALD IS APPROXIMATELY
ONE FOOT FROM THE WHITE
LANE DIVIDER IN THE MIDDLE
OF PULASKI ROAD
SOUTHBOUND LANE, AND HIS
BODY APPEARS TO BE MOVING

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SLIGHTLY AWAY FROM THE

OFFICERS TOWARD THE WEST
SIDE OF PULASKI.
AT 9:57:36, MCDONALD HAS
CROSSED OVER THE WHITE
LANE DIVIDER, AWAY FROM
THE OFFICERS, AND OFFICER
VAN DYKE HAS TAKEN AT LEAST
ONE STEP TOWARD MCDONALD
WITH HIS WEAPON DRAWN.

THE OFFICER THEN OPENED

FIRE ON LAQUAN, WHOSE ARM

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JERKS ---- HIS BODY SPINS

AROUND, AND HE FALLS TO
THE GROUND.
WHILE LAQUAN IS FALLING TO
THE GROUND, THE DEFEDANT
TAKES AT LEAST ONE MORE
STEP TOWARDS HIM, AT WHICH
POINT THE ANGLE OF THE
DASH CAMERA CHANGES AND
WE CAN NO LONGER SEE THE
OFFICER WITHIN THE FRAME
OF THE VIDEO.

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TWO SECONDS LATER LAQUAN

MCDONALD IS LYING IN THE
STREET ON HIS RIGHT SIDE
AND THE VIDEO CAPTURES
WHAT APPEARS TO BE TWO
PUFFS OF SMOKE COMING
FROM THE GROUND NEAR HIS
BODY.
THESE PUFFS OF SMOKE WERE
LATER IDENTIFIED AS CLOUDS
OF DEBRIS CAUSED BY THE
FIRED BULLETS.

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AT 9:57:51, MCDONALD IS
STILL LYING IN THE STREET,
AND THE LAST VISIBLE SHOT IS
FIRED.

IN THE 13 SECONDS THAT HE

HAS BEEN ON THE GROUND,
HIS BODY HAS JERKED AND HIS
ARMS HAVE MOVED SLIGHTLY.
THERE HAVE BEEN THREE
VISIBLE CLOUDS OF DEBRIS,
INDICATING SHOTS HITTING

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THE PAVEMENT NEAR LAQUAN

MCDONALDS BODY.

AT 9:57:54, OFFICER VAN

DYKES PARTNER APPROACHES
MCDONALD AND KICKS THE
KNIFE OUT OF HIS HAND. THE
KNIFE, LATER RECOVERED BY
POLICE, HAD A 3-INCH BLADE
THAT FOLDED INTO THE
HANDLE.

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OFFICER VAN DYKES PARTNER

REPORTED THAT THERE WAS A
BRIEF PAUSE IN THE SHOTS
WHEN HE LOOKED AT VAN DYKE
AND SAW THAT HE WAS
PREPARING TO RELOAD HIS
WEAPON.

OFFICER VAN DYKES PARTNER

RELATED THAT HE COULD HEAR
MCDONALD STRUGGLING TO
BREATHE AND HE TOLD VAN
DYKE TO HOLD HIS FIRE SO HE

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COULD APPROACH MCDONALD

AND KICK THE KNIFE AWAY.
OFFICER VAN DYKE WAS
ARMED WITH A 9 MILLIMETER
CALIBER SEMIAUTOMATIC
PISTOL THAT HAD A 16-ROUND
CAPACITY.

CHICAGO POLICE
INVESTIGATORS LATER
RECOVERED 16 FIRED
CARTRIDGE CASES FROM THE
SCENE AND THE ILLINOIS STATE

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POLICE DETERMINED THAT ALL

OF THOSE CARTRIDGE CASES
HAD BEEN FIRED FROM
OFFICER VAN DYKES WEAPON.

OUR INVESTIGATION HAS

DETERMINED THAT OFFICER
VAN DYKE WAS ON THE SCENE
FOR LESS THAN 30 SECONDS
BEFORE HE STARTED
SHOOTING, IN ADDITION TO
THE FACT THAT ALL EVIDENCE
INDICATES THAT HE BEGAN

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SHOOTING APPROXIMATELY SIX

SECONDS AFTER GETTING OUT
OF HIS VEHICLE.

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AN ANALYSIS OF THE VIDEO

ESTABLISHES THAT 14 TO 15
SECONDS PASSED FROM THE
TIME THIS DEFENDANT FIRED
HIS FIRST SHOT TO CLEAR
VISUAL EVIDENCE OF A FINAL
SHOT.
FOR APPROXIMATELY 13 OF
THOSE SECONDS, LAQUAN WAS
LYING ON THE GROUND.
OF THE EIGHT OR MORE
OFFICERS ON THE SCENE, IT

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WAS ONLY THE DEFENDANT

WHO FIRED HIS WEAPON.
LAQUAN HAD A PULSE AT THE
TIME CHICAGO FIRE
DEPARTMENT PARAMEDICS
ARRIVED ON THE SCENE, BUT
LOST HIS PULSE DURING
TRANSPORTATION TO MT. SINAI
HOSPITAL.

ONCE AT THE HOSPITAL,

LIFESAVING EFFORTS WERE

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UNSUCCESSFUL, AND HE WAS

PRONOUNCED DEAD.

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ACCORDING TO INTERVIEWS
WITH OFFICERS ON THE SCENE,
LAQUAN MCDONALD NEVER
SPOKE TO THE OFFICERS AND
NEVER RESPONDED TO THEIR
NUMEROUS VERBAL
COMMANDS TO DROP THE
KNIFE.
THE FIRST RESPONDING
OFFICERS STATED THAT THEY
DID NOT SEE THE NEED TO USE
FORCE AGAINST MCDONALD
WHEN THEY ENCOUNTERED

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HIM AND THAT HE BEGAN

RUNNING TOWARDS PULASKI
WHEN SIRENS COULD BE
HEARD.
SEVERAL CIVILIANS ALSO
WITNESSED THE SHOOTING.
ONE WAS A MOTORIST
STOPPED IN TRAFFIC ON
PULASKI WHEN HE SAW
MCDONALD WALKING IN THE
STREET IMMEDIATELY BEFORE
HE WAS SHOT.

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THE MOTORIST DESCRIBED

MCDONALD AS LOOKING FOR
A WAY TO GET AWAY FROM
POLICE.

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THE MOTORIST STATED THAT

MCDONALD NEVER MOVED
TOWARD, LUNGED AT, OR DID
ANYTHING THREATENING
TOWARDS THE OFFICERS
BEFORE HE WAS SHOT AND
FELL TO THE GROUND.

THIS WITNESS STATED THAT HE

HEARD A PAUSE IN THE SHOTS
AFTER MCDONALD FELL TO THE
GROUND, BUT THEN HEARD
MORE SHOTS.

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HE ALSO SAID THAT HE DID

NOT SEE MCDONALD DO
ANYTHING THREATENING
WHILE LYING ON THE GROUND
THAT WOULD CAUSE THE
OFFICER TO CONTINUE TO
SHOOT HIM.
BASED UPON THIS AND OTHER
EVIDENCE --- IT IS MY
DETERMINATION THAT THIS
DEFENDANT S ACTIONS OF
SHOOTING LAQUAN MCDONALD
WHEN HE DID NOT POSE AN

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IMMEDIATE THREAT OF GREAT

BODILY HARM OR DEATH --AND HIS SUBSEQUENT ACTIONS
OF SHOOTING LAQUAN
MCDONALD WHILE HE LAY ON
THE GROUND AFTER
PREVIOUSLY BEING STRUCK BY
GUNFIRE --- WERE NOT
JUSTIFIED AND THEY WERE NOT
A PROPER USE OF DEADLY
FORCE BY THIS POLICE
OFFICER.

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BEFORE I TAKE QUESTIONS I

WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A
COUPLE OF IMPORTANT
POINTS.
MY OFFICE WAS MADE AWARE
OF THIS SHOOTING BY THE
INDEPENDENT POLICE REVIEW
AUTHORITY WITHIN TWO
WEEKS OF THE INCIDENT.

WE RECEIVED A COPY OF THE

VIDEO ON NOVEMBER 4, 2014
AND WE IMMEDIATELY OPENED

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AN INVESTIGATION AND BEGAN

WORKING WITH THE
INDEPENDENT POLICE REVIEW
AUTHORITY TO GATHER
INFORMATION ON THE CASE.
ON NOVEMBER 19, 2014 WE
WERE CONTACTED BY THE FBI
REGARDING THE SHOOTING
AND WE PROVIDED A COPY OF
THE VIDEO TO THE FBI THE
FOLLOWING DAY.

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AT THAT TIME THE FBI OFFERED

TO WORK WITH OUR OFFICE
AND WE ACCEPTED THAT
OFFER.

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SUBSEQUENTLY, I MET WITH

THE FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN
CHARGE AND UNITED STATES
ATTORNEY ZACH FARDON IN
DECEMBER OF 2014 AND FROM
THAT TIME ON WE WERE
ENGAGED IN AN ACTIVE AND
ONGOING JOINT CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION AT BOTH THE
STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS.

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THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW

THAT WHILE IT WOULD SEEM
TO SOME THAT THE 12 MONTHS
OF INVESTIGATION WITH OUR
FEDERAL PARTNERS HAS TAKEN
TOO LONG, INVESTIGATIONS OF
POLICE SHOOTINGS AND
MISCONDUCT ARE HIGHLY
COMPLEX MATTERS THAT
CARRY WITH THEM VERY
UNIQUE LEGAL ISSUES THAT
MUST BE FULLY EXAMINED AND
TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION.

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FOR EXAMPLE, ALMOST ALL

CASES OF POLICE MISCONDUCT
AND EXCESSIVE FORCE
INCLUDE GARRITY ISSUES.
LET ME EXPLAIN TO YOU WHAT
THAT MEANS:

[EXPLAIN GARRITY VIOLATION

OF GARRITY CAN JEOPARDIZE A
CASE AND DENY JUSTICE FOR A
VICTIM JUST LIKE LAQUAN
MCDONALD].

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THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT,

THESE CASES, UNLIKE MOST
CASES, REQUIRE A
METICULOUS EXAMINATION
THAT CAN SEEM TO THE
PASSIVE OBSERVER TO TAKE
TOO LONG.

HOWEVER, THE UNIQUE AND

COMPLEX NATURE OF THESE
ISSUES MEANS THAT THESE

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CASES ARE TIME CONSUMING

REQUIRING A MASSIVE AND
LABOR INTENSIVE EFFORT.

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IT IS NOT AT ALL UNUSUAL FOR

THESE TYPES OF
INVESTIGATIONS TO TAKE UP
TO 20 MONTHS TO REACH A
CHARGING DECISION.

IN THIS CASE IN PARTICULAR,

MANY PEOPLE FROM THE FBI,
THE UNITED STATES
ATTORNEYS OFFICE AND MY
OFFICE HAVE BEEN WORKING
TIRELESSLY TO REACH A JUST
CONCLUSION.

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AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT IS

MORE IMPORTANT TO GET IT
RIGHT, THAN TO GET IT FAST.

RUSHING TO JUDGMENT SIMPLY

HAS NO PLACE IN A
PROFESSIONAL INVESTIGATION
OF THIS MAGNITUDE AND
COULD ONLY SERVE TO
JEOPARDIZE JUSTICE BEING
DONE.

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THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF

THIS INVESTIGATION, IT WAS
OUR INTENTION TO ANNOUNCE
OUR CHARGING DECISION
JOINTLY AND SIMULTANEOUSLY
WITH THE UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND
THE UNITED STATES
ATTORNEYS OFFICE IN ORDER
TO SPEAK WITH ONE UNITED
VOICE WITH EVERYONE WHO
WAS INVOLVED IN THIS VERY
THOROUGH INVESTIGATION.

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HOWEVER, I MADE THE

DECISION TO ALTER THAT PLAN
AFTER COOK COUNTY JUDGE
FRANKLIN VALDERRAMA RULED
LAST WEEK THAT THE
VIDEOTAPE WOULD BE
RELEASED TO THE PUBLIC AS
THE RESULT OF CIVIL
LITIGATION WITH THE CITY OF
CHICAGO.

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WHILE WE WOULD HAVE

PREFERRED FOR THE
INVESTIGATION TO HAVE RUN
ITS FULL COURSE AND
ENABLED OUR FEDERAL
PARTNERS TO COMPLETE THEIR
EVALUATION IN ITS ENTIRETY, I
FELT COMPELLED IN THE
INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY
TO ANNOUNCE THESE STATE
CRIMINAL CHARGES TODAY.

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MAINTAINING PUBLIC SAFETY

IS MY NUMBER ONE JOB AND I
DO NOT WANT THE PUBLIC TO
VIEW THIS VIDEO WITHOUT
KNOWING THE VERY
IMPORTANT CONTEXT THAT,
WITH THESE CHARGES, WE ARE
BRINGING A FULL MEASURE OF
JUSTICE THAT THIS DEMANDS.

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TO BE CLEAR, THE JUDGES

ORDER THAT THE CITY OF
CHICAGO MUST RELEASE THE
VIDEO BY NOVEMBER 25TH
CERTAINLY MOVED UP THE
TIMING OF OUR
ANNOUNCEMENT BUT IT DID
NOT, IN ANY WAY, DICTATE OUR
DECISION TO CHARGE THIS
DEFENDANT WITH FIRST
DEGREE MURDER.

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I MADE THAT DECISION WEEKS

AGO.
AS YOU KNOW, THE CITIZENS
OF CHICAGO WILL SOON HAVE
THE OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW
THE VIDEO FOR THEMSELVES.

THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF

OUR INVESTIGATION I HAVE
SEEN THE VIDEO ON A NUMBER
OF OCCASIONS AND I CAN TELL
YOU THAT IT IS EVERYTHING
THAT IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED

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TO BE IN NEWS ACCOUNTS: IT
IS GRAPHIC, IT IS VIOLENT, AND
IT IS CHILLING.
I HAVE BEEN A PROSECUTOR
FOR NEARLY 30 YEARS.
I HAVE PERSONALLY
INVESTIGATED AND
PROSECUTED NUMEROUS
CASES OF POLICE MISCONDUCT
AND PUBLIC CORRUPTION.

I HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN

HUNDREDS OF MURDER

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INVESTIGATIONS AND TRIALS

AND I HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE
MOST VIOLENT AND GRAPHIC
EVIDENCE AND CRIME SCENE
PHOTOS.
TO WATCH A 17-YEAR-OLD
YOUNG MAN DIE IN SUCH A
VIOLENT MANNER IS DEEPLY
DISTURBING AND I HAVE
ABSOLUTELY NO DOUBT THAT
THIS VIDEO WILL TEAR AT THE
HEARTS OF ALL CHICAGOANS.

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I KNOW THAT LAQUANS

MOTHER AND SOME FAMILY
MEMBERS HAVE BEEN
OPPOSED TO THE RELEASE OF
THIS VIDEO AND I CERTAINLY
UNDERSTAND THEIR CONCERNS
AND THEIR ANGUISH.
AS A MOTHER, I CANNOT
IMAGINE THE PERSONAL PAIN
THAT LAQUANS MOTHER AND
HIS FAMILY HAVE DEALT WITH
AND WILL CONTINUE TO DEAL
WITH WHEN THE VIDEO IS
MADE PUBLIC.

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I HOPE THAT CITIZENS WILL

TAKE THIS INTO
CONSIDERATION AND SHOW
RESPECT AND RESTRAINT IN
THEIR ACTIONS FOLLOWING
THE RELEASE OF THE VIDEO.
BEFORE I CLOSE AND TAKE
QUESTIONS, I WOULD LIKE TO
MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT
MAYOR EMANUEL. IN RECENT
DAYS I HAVE SEEN NEWS
REPORTS THAT THE MAYOR HAS

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BEEN CRITICIZED FOR NOT

RELEASING THIS VIDEO
SOONER. I WILL TELL YOU
THAT I BELIEVE THE MAYORS
DECISION TO DELAY THE
RELEASE WAS IN THE BEST
INTEREST OF ALLOWING
FEDERAL AND STATE LAW
ENFORCEMENT TO COMPLETE
OUR INVESTIGATIONS AND I
THANK HIM FOR THAT.

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FINALLY, LET ME SAY THAT I

FULLY SUPPORT THE RIGHTS OF
OUR CITIZENS TO PROTEST
AND TO EXPRESS THEIR
FEELINGS OR THEIR OUTRAGE.
BUT IT MUST BE DONE
WITHOUT VIOLENCE OR
CRIMINAL ACTIONS.

VIOLENT ACTIONS WILL NOT

HONOR THE LIFE OF LAQUAN
MCDONALD AND IT WILL DO
NOTHING TO HOLD THIS

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DEFENDANT ACCOUNTABLE
FOR HIS ACTIONS.

ILL TAKE QUESTIONS