McCarthy: Commander appears justified in fatally shooting driver - Chicago Sun-Times
Garry McCarthy said Monday that he thinks a commander and an officer were justified in fatally shooting a driver over the weekend — despite new restrictions on cops firing into vehicles. Frank Valadez and the officer were patrolling about 1:30 a. m. Saturday when they saw someone shoot into a vehicle from a Chevrolet Tahoe near 23rd and Wood, police said. Valadez and the officer chased the Tahoe to 19th and Ashland, police said. “At one point the car is kind of stopping, and at one point appears they are going to jump out and run,” McCarthy said Monday at a news conference. Valadez and the other officer get out of the car. McCarthy said Valadez and the officer then chased the Tahoe into a parking lot. And that’s when they [Valadez and the officer] opened up. ”. “Cmdr. Valadez and his partner, a police officer, fired a number of times into the vehicle and unfortunately killed one of the individuals who was driving the vehicle,” McCarthy said. The Tahoe was moving forward when the officers opened fire, police said. No one in the vehicle returned fire, but a handgun was recovered from the vehicle, officials said. But in February, McCarthy revised the department’s policy on the use of deadly force to prohibit officers. Source: chicago.suntimes.com
