The Chicago Police Board fired four officers who were found to have exaggerated the threat posed by 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, shot and killed in 2014
The nine-member board found the officers exaggerated the threat posed by the 17-year-old McDonald to justify his shooting by Jason Van Dyke and voted unanimously for the dismissal of Sgt. Stephen Franko, and officers Janet Mondragon and Ricardo Viramontes. All but one voted to fire Daphne Sebastian because of violations of department rules. She wasn’t found to have made false reports.
Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson in 2016 accused the officers of either giving or approving knowingly false statements. None of the four were charged criminally, although they were stripped of police powers and assigned to desk duty as their case proceeded. The firings can be appealed through a lawsuit.
Mr. McDonald was allegedly high on PCP and carrying a small knife in 2014 when Mr. Van Dyke exited his squad car and almost immediately opened fire. Police video released in 2015 showed Mr. Van Dyke firing 16 bullets into Mr. McDonald, many after the teen had crumpled to the ground. Mr. Viramontes was accused of reporting that Mr. McDonald continued to move after he shot and that he tried to get up with the knife still in his hand. He held to his statement even when an investigator showed him a video of the shooting.
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