Police officer Jason Van Dyke who desperately shot an African-American teenager, Laquan McDonald 16 times was charged with first-degree murder and ordered to remain in jail on Tuesday, November 24.
McDonald was battered in the head, chest, lower abdomen, arms, legs and back while he lay in an "almost fetal position" on the ground. He was shot by Jason Dyke even though he dropped down to the ground after the first shots on October 2014.
Laquan McDonald was killed outside Burger King. Lawyers for his family are trying to find out why 86 minutes of the restaurant's security camera footage are missing.
Protesters have been pushing for the footage which allegedly shows McDonald being shot in the back by Van Dyke, who then keeps firing - to be released by authorities for 13 months already.
A judge ordered that the recording be put out by Wednesday, November 25. Moments before the footage was made public on Tuesday evening, the mayor and the police chief appealed for people to stay calm.
The family of Laquan McDonald, was also advised to be calm. Lawyers issued a statement on their behalf saying, "No one understands the anger more than us but if you choose to speak out, we urge you to be peaceful. Don't resort to violence in Laquan's name."
“People have a right to be angry. People have a right to protest. People have a right to free speech. But they do not have a right to … criminal acts,” Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy said.
McDonald’s life was a long, sad, monstrous cycle all the way to its violent end. Twice, the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services removed him from his mother’s care because of abuse allegations leveled at the mother’s boyfriend.
He was allegedly sexually molested in two different foster homes, according to a source familiar with his juvenile court record.
