* Background is here if you need it. ..
Isabel: An Illinois State Police officer shot an unarmed woman in East St. Louis in January. Yesterday it was announced the officer will not face criminal charges. Do you think the family of Rachel Tarrence received proper justice?
Pritzker: So I have to admit that the details of the decision about that I do not know. So it’s very hard for me to have a reaction to you. I promise that I will make sure that I am ready to give a reaction to that. But I will say that that a tragedy occurred here. No one, no police officer, State Police, or any other police officer wants to have to pull a weapon out, be engaged in shooting in any way, and and of course the victim of that shooting is somebody that we should be thinking of, particularly this victim.
Isabel: Have you watched the video?
Pritzker: I have not seen the video.
Isabel: Should the trooper be fired?
Pritzker: I again have not seen all the information. But I will say that we have leadership at the Illinois State Police, in particular, that is of very high character, and I expect that they have done a thorough job in reviewing this, and that the matter has been made transparent within the department and within the adjudicators of it.
The governor has commented innumerable times about videos of fatal ICE shootings, including of an unarmed woman in a car. But an unarmed Illinois woman was shot to death by his own State Police force and he didn’t watch the video?
- Google is Your Friend - Wednesday, Jul 22, 26 @ 12:06 pm:
==No one, no police officer, State Police, or any other police officer wants to have to pull a weapon out, be engaged in shooting in any way==
This is demonstrably false. Some of the ICE shootings referenced in this post prove the governor’s statement false.
- Almost the Weekend - Wednesday, Jul 22, 26 @ 12:11 pm:
Pritzker can’t have it both ways, and this will be his downfall in his 2028 POTUS Campaign. He will trash everything at the federal level because of Trump, then hide behind word slop when it takes place here.
Murder is not the charge for the ISP officer, but you can argue a lesser charge. There’s no way he should be employed as an officer anywhere in Illinois going forward, I can say that.
- The Opinions Bureau - Wednesday, Jul 22, 26 @ 12:13 pm:
Illinois deserves a governor that cares about Illinois state government.
- Jack in Chatham - Wednesday, Jul 22, 26 @ 12:14 pm:
Good follow up questions by Isabel.
- DuPage Saint - Wednesday, Jul 22, 26 @ 12:19 pm:
Shouldn’t he really have let investigation play out as it did? I mean what was he supposed to do look at video or make comments on this before it was investigated? Other than to say the process must play out what is his role other than to point out that he tragedy? Now perhaps he could look at everything and if he thinks justice was denied as the AG to look into it
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Jul 22, 26 @ 12:20 pm:
=== I mean what was he supposed to do look at video or make comments on this before it was investigated?===
LOLOL
Like he waited patiently for weeks to say something about the ICE shootings?
C’mon.
- DuPage Saint - Wednesday, Jul 22, 26 @ 12:26 pm:
Rich not that I am cynical but to me making broad political statements about things you are not in charge of is easy, actually being in charge and running things should require some restraint. And I speak as a former Republican
- H-W - Wednesday, Jul 22, 26 @ 12:28 pm:
There is a lot wrong about this shooting. Ignoring issues surrounding mental health, which the officers may not have known, it is unclear there was any imminent threat to life.
We know it was reported that the car was stolen. Then the car was identified. The car had three occupants counting the driver when it was identified.
The car was boxed in. So at this point, the suspect had been subdued. The car tried to back away but could not. It tried to go toward (but could not have done so).
The officer shot to kill the driver of a detained, stolen vehicle. The officer was not in harms way.
When did negotiation become a “now or never” proposition in law enforcement? There is a lot wrong here when officers are more prepared to kill than to resolve a stolen vehicle incident.
- Excitable Boy - Wednesday, Jul 22, 26 @ 12:32 pm:
- being in charge and running things should require some restraint -
Restraint is fine, but the investigation is complete and the SA made their announcement. JB should have been ready for these questions.
- Parkey - Wednesday, Jul 22, 26 @ 12:38 pm:
Bad staff work.
- SOILL - Wednesday, Jul 22, 26 @ 12:40 pm:
-The governor has commented innumerable times about videos of fatal ICE shootings, including of an unarmed woman in a car. But an unarmed Illinois woman was shot to death by his own State Police force and he didn’t watch the video?-
To be fair, he likely didn’t watch the ICE shooting videos either before he made unfounded claims of improper use of force.
- Dakno Thing - Wednesday, Jul 22, 26 @ 1:10 pm:
I’m sorry but it’s absurd to compare this to ICE shootings. I watched the video of this and I watched all of the ICE videos and they are not remotely the same. And it doesn’t serve the public well to suggest they are.
As to the Governor’s comments, if there is an ongoing investigation that the Governor or his office have any oversight of then any lawyer or good government expert worth their salt would be telling him to do and say what he said here. I realize that might not be sexy but it is responsible and it’s what I appreciate about Pritzker. That might be unsatisfying but it’s the truth.