University of Chicago officials release video of police officer shooting student
The officials from the University of Chicago released a video on Wednesday to the media of a police officer from the campus who shot a university student who appeared to be holding a metal pipe, according to reports. The shooting reportedly occurred on Tuesday evening when campus police was responding to calls of a burglary in the area, just outside the property.
Chicago police and university officials said that when the officer arrived at the scene he saw 21-year-old Charles Thomas breaking car and apartment windows in an alley in the city's Hyde Park neighborhood. Reports state that the campus officers also have jurisdiction beyond the premises of the university and they tend to regularly patrol the nearby area.
Two clips were recorded of the incident — one from a squad dash cam and other from the officer's body-worn camera. The clip shows the officer repeatedly telling the suspect to drop his weapon, the student, however, screams profanities at the policeman and moves in his direction.
The officer then says: "Hey! Stop there, put down the weapon. Don’t come at me." The officers then steps out of his vehicle and begins retreating from Thomas and continues to do so for about 40 seconds, along with shouting warnings. The officer then fires a shot a shot, injuring Thomas in the shoulder.
Chicago police, on Thursday announced, that the suspect has been charged with one count of aggravated assault of a peace officer, two felony counts of criminal damage to property and two misdemeanor counts of criminal damage to property, according to reports.
The spokesperson for the Chicago Police, Michelle Tannehill, said that the city's department is currently investigating the incident.
The university president, Robert Zimmer, and provost, Daniel Diermeier, issued an email, addressing the students and staff, saying that the campus officer involved in the incident has been put on administrative leave till the time the case is being probed, according to USA Today.
The latest shooting comes shortly after a report was released stating that Chicago had witnessed a significant dip in the percentage of shootings and murder in the first three months of this year when compared to last year's records.