Body cam footage released Tuesday of a traffic stop in Chicago gone horrifically wrong is calling into question the official story told by police on the scene. Five plainclothed Chicago police swarmed 26-year-old Dexter Reed’s car on March 21, pumping 96 shots into his vehicle after Reed apparently fired at officers. However, the officers’ body cam footage tells a very confusing story.
For instance, why did it take five plainclothed officers in tactical vests with guns drawn jumping out of an unmarked car to swarm a vehicle for a seatbelt violation? Why were officers shouting at Reed right from the start? Why did the officers from across the street feel the need to empty their weapons and then reload? And did Reed really shoot first? After reviewing the video, it’s unclear both to us and to other news outlets, like CNN. Reed’s family also find the entire situation confusing:
Reed’s uncle Roosevelt Banks said he would panic in that scenario.
“If I was in that situation, I would be terrified. I wouldn’t know how to … react other than to protect myself,” Banks said after watching the police footage.
“After he was shot up … you added clips to your gun? That is nothing but plain murder to me.”
But the president of a Chicago police union, the Fraternal Order of Police Chicago Lodge #7, defended the officers’ response.
“Of course we have a clear defense of our officers’ actions,” John Catanzara Jr. wrote in an email to CNN.
Frankly, I’d be pretty freaked out too if five people in civilian clothing swarmed my vehicle with guns drawn. Within the 90-second interaction, 41 seconds are taken up by the hail of gunfire directed at Reed.
Multiple agencies within the Chicago area responsible for monitoring police actions are investigating the incident.