Dexter Reed, a 26-year-old African-American motorist, was killed by Chicago police officers after being stopped for not wearing a seat belt. The officers shot him 96 times in 41 seconds, which is being described as a disproportionate reaction. The incident took place on March 21 in a residential area west of Chicago, but the body cam footage from the officers involved was only made public yesterday, revealing a shocking scene.
The family of the victim is demanding answers and justice for Reed’s death. They question why such excessive force was used for a simple traffic violation and are calling for an end to such incidents in the future. The officers involved have been suspended for thirty days, pending further investigation. It will ultimately be up to an independent agency to complete a thorough investigation into the incident.
From watching the videos, it is clear that the officers approached Reed’s car, surrounded it, and ordered him to roll down his window. One of the officers pointed his gun at Reed and repeatedly ordered him to do as they instructed. Despite Reed’s fearful response, the situation escalated quickly. The officers fired multiple shots at Reed, leaving him on the ground, where he was eventually declared dead at the hospital. The officers claimed to have found a gun inside Reed’s car, which they say he used first.
The municipal control agency has requested clarification on the death of Dexter Reed from leaders of Chicago police department after body cam footage from the officers involved was released yesterday showing shocking details of the incident that took place on March 21 in a residential area west of Chicago
