Sandy MaloneChicago, IL – Chicago police released bodycam video of the officer-involved May shooting of a 13-year-old carjacking suspect that left the boy paralyzed (video below).
The incident began just before 10:15 p.m. on May 18 when Chicago police spotted a gray 2008 Honda that was wanted in connection with a carjacking and kidnapping in Oak Park a day earlier, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Police said a man in a black face mask stole a car with a three year old inside it near Lake Street and Oak Park Avenue.
The car thief abandoned the stolen vehicle with the child still inside it about 15 minutes later in the 200-block of Madison Street, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Police said witnesses saw the carjacker flee the scene in a 2008 gray Honda.
A police helicopter followed the suspect vehicle as it headed south on Independence Boulevard and radio recordings showed the dispatcher repeatedly asked if any police vehicles on the ground were following the car, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Officers stopped the Honda in the 800-block of North Cicero in Austin.
Chicago police said a 13-year-old boy jumped out of the car’s passenger seat and ran, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Officers chased him.
The driver of the suspect vehicle fled the scene and later ditched the Honda in the 3800-block of West Monroe Street in East Garfield Park, WLS reported.
There appeared to be some confusion at the scene as a dispatcher reported “shots fired at the police” and then said “shots fired by the police,” the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
A cell phone video of the shooting was posted to Instagram and showed the 13 year old running into a gas station as police chased him.
In the video, it appeared the teen may have turned back toward the six officers pursuing him just before he was shot.
The video showed he fell to the ground by a gas pump.
Officers dragged him away from the gas pump for safety and began administering First Aid while they waited for the ambulance to arrive.
Newly-released bodycam showed the 7th grader running away from officers and then turning to face them just before he was shot.
The family of the 13 year old has a filed a federal lawsuit against the Chicago Police Department and the officer who shot him, WGN reported.
The boy’s parents said he is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of the officer-involved shooting.
The lawsuit alleged the shooting was not justified and claimed the teen may never walk again, WGN reported.
The Civilian Officer of Police Accountability (COPA) is investigating the officer-involved shooting.
The officer who shot the 7th grader has been assigned to desk duty while the investigation is conducted, WGN reported.
COPA said the officer was part of the Chicago Police Department’s (CPD) Vehicle Hijacking Task Force Team, WLS reported.
Watch the incident unfold in the video below:
Holly Matkin
