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Harith Augustus coverage roundup

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* Coming a bit late to this, so here you go…

* Autopsy: Chicago man dies of multiple gunshots: An autopsy shows a black man killed by a Chicago police officer died of multiple gunshot wounds.

* Another black man is killed by police, and the distrust grows deeper: Many African-American men in violent neighborhoods carry guns illegally. Let’s just be honest. The law-abiding people who live in these dangerous neighborhoods know this. And the police know it, too. Some black men carry guns because their lives, and even the lives of their loved ones, depend on it. Some of them do it because it’s the norm in places besieged with crime. And some black men carry guns simply because they are up to no good. … Perhaps he did have something to hide. But perhaps he also had a bona fide fear of police. And perhaps his death confirms that his instinct to flee was justified.

* After the Harith Augustus shooting, Chicago’s policing problems are back in the spotlight: In both videos, Augustus is seen speaking with an officer shortly before three more officers arrive. None of the videos contain audio, the department said, because body cameras do not record sound for a brief period after being switched on.

* Chicago police release body cam video of South Shore police shooting: CPD released two videos, one in real time and another slowed down. The body cam video that was released does not have audio as there is a 30-second delay when the officer turns the device on.

* Chicago activist demands all footage from police shooting: William Calloway said a brief video released by police showing the view from one officer’s body camera does not answer crucial questions, starting with the reasons the officers approached 37-year-old Harith Augustus on Saturday afternoon just before he was shot. Calloway also said that a police spokesman’s explanation that the Augustus was “exhibiting characteristics of an armed person” does justify stopping someone in a city and state where it is legal to carry a concealed weapon. Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said Sunday that detectives have found no documentation that Augustus had a concealed carry permit, but Calloway said there is no way officers at the scene could have known that when they approached him.

* More protests expected Monday after body cam video released of South Shore police shooting: “We have a right to protest,” said Frank Chapman of the Chicago Alliance Against Racism and Political Oppression. “The police do not have a right to come out and brutalize us because we’re protesting. And that’s been their history, that’s what they’ve been doing.”

* Chicago police say bodycam footage shows key difference in latest shooting: “Decision to use lethal force is made in a split second. It is based on the safety of the officer and the surrounding community,” Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson said.

* Chicago police release video to ease tensions after killing Harith Augustus: The body camera video shows Augustus reaching for his wallet as the officers approach. In the struggle, a card protrudes from his wallet. It appears to be a Firearm Owners Identification Card, which allows qualified people to buy weapons and ammunition, according to the Illinois State Police.

* Misdemeanor charges filed against protester after Harith Augustus shooting: CPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said four officers were injured during the protests. People taunted officers with chants of “murderers” and “Who do you serve? Who do you protect?” One officer was hit with the bottle of urine, and people also threw rocks. Police eventually tried to push protesters back, hitting at least a dozen people with batons.

* Neighborhood recalls ‘quiet’ South Shore barber who died in police shooting: Augustus had no recent arrest history, according to a Chicago police spokesman. He was charged with two misdemeanor counts of battery and a misdemeanor count of marijuana possession in three separate incidents over a decade ago, according to Cook County court records. He wasn’t convicted in any of the cases.

* Chicago FOP: Politicians now know that the only way to succeed in obtaining their coveted positions is to cater to the media’s anti-police narratives. The Chicago media, therefore, contributes heavily to the body count every month in Chicago and to an appallingly low clearance rates in homicides.

* Lori Lightfoot…

“The loss of Mr. Harith Augustus’ life is a tragedy, and my condolences and prayers go out to his family, particularly his young child and other loved ones as they mourn his death.

“It is critically important that the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) move forward swiftly, independently, and thoroughly in its investigation. The public has the absolute right to understand all of the circumstances that led to the use of deadly force against Mr. Augustus.

“Superintendent Johnson made a wise decision in releasing a body camera video expeditiously. Consistent with policies recommended by the Police Accountability Task Force and adopted by the city in February of 2016, all relevant videotapes, audio, and initial police reports must be released as soon as possible, balancing the importance of the integrity of the COPA investigation.

“In addition, COPA must address the subsequent circumstances in which members of the police engaged with observers and protesters who gathered in the wake of the shooting. With the caveat that video can only provide a snapshot in time from a particular vantage point, there are several images of police interactions with members of the public that are very troubling. The images I saw from a variety of sources raise serious questions about supervision, use of force and equipment, as well as tactics deployed.

“The public has a right to understand the circumstances that led to injuries of the public and police at the Jeffrey Plaza and adjacent parking lots. It is imperative that both the CPD and COPA address these issues as swiftly as possible in the coming days.”

* Garry McCarthy…

These kinds of shooting incidents are a tragedy. As a city, we all lose when they occur. I offer my condolence to the victim’s family. At first blush, this shooting appears to be justified, based on what we see in that video and I’m pleased with its quick release. We are hoping that a thorough investigation gives us the truth as to what happened. But let us also be clear, that the shooting victim refused to comply with the officers. He appears to reach for a gun. At that point, he leaves the officers with little to no choice but to shoot in defense of their own lives. But incidents like this underscore the need for a new mayor who can bring us together, promote understanding and open dialogue.

* Troy LaRaviere…

In regard to the police shooting of Harith Augustus, there are three questions that must be answered:

The first question is, “Was the shooting–by itself–justified. Mr. Augustus’ actions after the stop–running and grabbing his gun from his holster–speak clearly to whether or not the shooting–by itself–was justified.

However, the shooting didn’t happen “by itself.” It happened after a decision by police to stop and surround Mr. Augustus, which begs the second question: “In a city where carrying a firearm is legal, what justifies stopping people who appear to be armed? “Appearing to be armed,” literally means “Appearing to be exercising one’s constitutional rights.” Augustus posted in 2014, “My kids aren’t just my children; they are my everything.” Although he did not have the necessary permits, Mr. Augustus’ life as a father, his 9-to-5 job as a barber, and decade-long clean police record paint a picture of a man who likely carried a weapon for the reason most Americans carry weapons: to protect himself. Our system of policing has been found to unjustly target African American communities for everything from issuing parking tickets, to setting up DUI checkpoints, to the unconstitutional use of force. It is of great concern to know this same disparate system is being used to stop African American men who–like many white Chicagoans–arm themselves for protection.

Mr. Augustus did not approach the police, the police approached him, and it was his reaction to their use of force that led to his death. That leads to the last question: Where is the audio from the body camera footage? What did police say to Mr. Augustus that may or may not have led to his ill-advised fight-or-flight reaction to being stopped and surrounded by police officers? Like millions of Americans, I’ve seen footage of officers threatening law-abiding citizens at gunpoint such as the incident before Alton Sterling’s murder in which an officer escalated a situation and then yelled at Sterling, “… I’ll shoot your [expletive deleted], [expletive deleted]! I’m going to shoot you in your [expletive deleted] head!” With escalating police officer behaviors like this in the public consciousness, any reasonable person would understand why the absence of the audio in the body camera footage is of grave concern to those of us who want to ensure this kind of escalation was not a factor in this tragic death. I call on City Hall to instruct the Police Department to release the audio immediately.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 2:54 pm

Comments

It’s amusing watching Troy LaRaviere and others do idealogical back flips on this. So is he running for mayor of Chicago as a 2nd Amendment advocate, or as an uber-lefty Bernie Sanders backer?

I’d recommend to my friends in the police reform movement that find another battle to fight.

Comment by Roman Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 3:05 pm
Adding

By “battle to fight” I mean a different incident to highlight, not a different cause.

Comment by Roman Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 3:07 pm
===or as an uber-lefty Bernie Sanders backer===

Didn’t Bernie have a pro-gun Senate record?

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 3:09 pm
==Didn’t Bernie have a pro-gun Senate record? ==

Good point…though he sprinted away from it while campaigning for prez.

Comment by Roman Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 3:15 pm
I feel sorry for the death of Harith, but community safety requires some deference to law enforcement. Turn on your smartphone’s record function if you feel unsafe or ill-treated.

Comment by Jocko Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 3:31 pm
Roman - Actually he said: ” … that guns in Vermont are not the same thing as guns in Chicago … . In our state, guns are used for hunting. In Chicago, they’re used by kids in gangs for killing other kids … .”

Comment by Smitty Irving Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 3:31 pm
The guy has a couple of misdemeanor arrests with no convictions over a decade ago. These types of records should be automatically expunged certainly after a decade and probably after a couple of years. Non convictions over a decade ago have no relavance to anything

Comment by DuPage Saint Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 3:32 pm
==- Jocko - Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 3:31 pm:==

It’s a little hard to record sometimes when you’re being harassed by people who can’t even articulate what the constitutionality of their own stops.

Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 3:44 pm
I am not sure what walking looking like he was carrying a gun actually looks like but I suspect he was attempting to project an an aura of I am armed so leave me alone to the bad guys. He went to the trouble of getting a FOID card but didn’t do the 16 hours for the C/C. there are no winners here but reaching for your gun is never the right move with the police.

Comment by What's in a name? Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 4:07 pm
Let’s learn from the McDonald case. All the video, now, not 18 months from now.

That means you, Emanuel. You’re the boss. You’re accountable.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 4:10 pm
Agree with What’s in a name’s conclusion. If it’s a bogus stop you go along with the program, if you get charged your lawyer files a motion to quash arrest and suppress evidence, if you win that the charges get dismissed, ultimately. If it’s completely bogus then you file a civil suit and the City will throw money at you because they are afraid to lose at trial. You run out in the street and reach for your gun and the police are now in reasonable fear for their lives and justified in the use of deadly force under the current state of the law.

Comment by West Side the Best Side Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 4:23 pm
What’s in a name,
You raise a good point. I believe a critical part of the C/C training is language one should use with a police officer when you are approached and carrying.

Comment by Downstate Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 4:27 pm
== Let’s learn from the McDonald case. All the video, now, not 18 months from now. That means you, Emanuel. You’re the boss. You’re accountable. ==

Actually COPA runs the investigation of these shootings and they chose what gets released or not. They decided in tandem with CPD to release yesterday’s video. Besides, what matters is how the shooting went down. And now things are pretty clear.

With that said Troy’s statement is laughable. Not ready for prime time or city hall.

Comment by Shytown Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 4:57 pm
–Actually COPA runs the investigation of these shootings and they chose what gets released or not. They decided in tandem with CPD to release yesterday’s video.–

Yeah? Who runs the CPD?

Next you’re going to tell me Chicago is a weak mayor/strong city council form of government.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 5:01 pm
Troy LaRaviere is asking some solid questions there…

Comment by NIU Grad Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 5:18 pm
The interesting thing about this has been how certain groups have strained for reasons to blame the police.

First, you had witnesses who said he did not have a gun.

After the video was released, you had people denying he was reaching for his gun (despite the video) and others claiming that, well, the initial stop must not have been justified (despite the fact that we don’t yet know the reasons for the stop).

People want to use this death for political purpose. The facts do not seem to matter.

That’s really disappointing.

Comment by Gooner Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 5:19 pm
Gooner, this surprises you? the standard is, man down by police equals the police did something wrong cause no one ever has a gun in the eyes of some of the public and no one ever does anything wrong. meanwhile there are lots of people killed by civilians and it doesn’t cause as much of a fuss. right now I’m terrified at the thought that someone killed and dismembered an 81 year old woman and left her body parts in a storage space in her home in the 100s and east. protest about that.

Comment by Amalia Monday, Jul 16, 18 @ 6:23 pm
There is a typo in the quote attributed to Calloway. Calloway also said that a police spokesman’s explanation that the Augustus was “exhibiting characteristics of an armed person” does justify stopping someone in a city and state where it is legal to carry a concealed weapon. Calloway said it DOES NOT justify the stop which is correct under the law. Perhaps the CPD should brush up on that and stop making unconstitutional stops and frisks.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Jul 17, 18 @ 12:46 pm