CHICAGO, Aug. 5 (UPI) — Chicago police released videos from the July officer-involved shooting of Paul O’Neal showing officers firing into a car that was being driven away and, later, his arms limp as he was being handcuffed.
Nine body and patrol-car videos released Friday show events leading up to the shooting death of the 18-year-old on July 28. The head of the department’s oversight agency called the video footage “shocking and disturbing.” O’Neal’s family viewed the videos before they were released to the public.
The released videos show officers firing at a car driven by O’Neal. The videos do not show the actual shooting even though the officer who shot O’Neal was wearing a body camera. Officials did not say why the body camera did not record the shooting.
The city’s use of force policy bars police from shooting into a car when the vehicle represents the only danger.
Michael Oppenheimer, the family’s lawyer, accused the department of intentionally withholding the footage of the actual shooting.
“They decided they would control this, so the cover-up has begun,” he said.”It is one of the most horrific things I have seen.”
Police tried to stop O’Neal at about 7:30 p.m. as he drove a Jaguar that had been reported stolen. O’Neal hit two Chicago police vehicles as he fled, and two officers fired at the Jaguar as he drove away. O’Neal then ran from the car, police said. When he refused to stop, he was shot, police said. O’Neal, who was unarmed, died as a result of a gunshot wound to the back.
Videos contain graphic language and content.
