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U.S. NEWSMonday 28 December 2015

Relatives of 2 killed by Chicago police demand changes

LaTarsha Jones, center, the daughter of Bettie Jones, is comforted by family and friends during said. Both victims were discharging of the officer’s
a news conference on Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015, in front of the house where Bettie Jones was killed black. weapon,” the Chicago Po-
Saturday in the West Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago. Grieving relatives and friends of two The shootings come amid lice Department said in a
people shot and killed by Chicago police said Sunday that the city’s law enforcement officers ongoing scrutiny of police statement Saturday.
had failed its residents. across the country after a “The 55-year-old female
series of deaths of African- victim was accidentally
(Nancy Stone/Chicago Tribune via AP) Americans at the hands struck and tragically killed,”
of officers gave rise to the according to the state-
MICHAEL TARM Sunday that the city’s law mestic disturbance, along Black Lives Matter protest ment, which extended
Associated Press enforcement officers had with downstairs neighbor movement. The Chicago “deepest condolences
CHICAGO (AP) — Griev- failed its residents. Bettie Jones, 55, police Police Department also is to the victim’s family and
ing relatives and friends of Quintonio LeGrier, 19, was said. under a federal civil rights friends.”
two people shot and killed killed early Saturday by Jones was hit accidentally investigation that will look Jones, a mother of five
by Chicago police said police responding to a do- by the gunfire, the police into patterns of racial dis- who had hosted family for
parity in theuse of force, Christmas, and LeGrier, a
how the department disci- college student home for
plines officers and handles the holiday break, were
misconduct accusations. pronounced dead at hos-
That investigation was pitals, according to rela-
launched after last month’s tives and the Cook County
release of police dash- medical examiner’s office.
board camera video show- LeGrier’s mother, Janet
ing white officer Jason Cooksey, told reporters
Van Dyke shooting black that the Chicago Police
17-year-old Laquan Mc- Department has failed
Donald 16 times in 2014. her and so many others.
The video’s release has She said she has seen oth-
led to protests, the forced er families who lost their
resignation of Chicago Po- loved ones to police shoot-
lice Superintendent Garry ings, and now it has hap-
McCarthy and calls from pened to her. Speakers
residents for Mayor Rahm at the news conference
Emanuel to step down. It said Mayor Rahm Emanuel
is not clear whether there needs to improve the situa-
are any video recordings tion with police, but others
of Saturday’s shootings. who spoke called for him to
Jacqueline Walker, a friend resign. Police did not imme-
of Jones, asked why po- diately disclose the race of
lice “shoot first and ask the officer, saying only that
questions later.” Police the officers involved will
should use stun guns or be placed on administra-
other nonlethal methods tive duties for 30 days while
instead, Walker said at a “training and fitness for duty
news conference outside requirements can be con-
the West Side residence ducted.” It isn’t clear how
where the victims lived. many officers responded,
Officers who responded to how many used their fire-
an emergency call “were arms and how many times
confronted by a combat- both LeGrier and Jones
ive subject resulting in the were struck.q