The Latest: Protesters march, confront police in Chicago


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CHICAGO (AP) — The latest on the shooting of a black teenager by a white Chicago police officer (all times local):

12:45 a.m.

A small crowd of protesters is snaking through streets near Chicago's downtown early Wednesday.

The demonstrations started hours earlier after police released a dash-cam video showing the shooting death of a black teen by a white police officer. The officer was charged with murder Tuesday.

The protesters tried to block traffic on an expressway before walking toward a lakefront park. A few yelled at police officers, others chanted as they blocked a street.

There was little traffic during the overnight hours.

Another smaller group spent the late evening hours outside a police station.

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11:45 p.m.

A few dozen protesters in Chicago are gathered near a South Side police station, while others briefly blocked a thoroughfare that leads to and from a main freeway heading west from downtown.

At least 50 protesters blocked Congress Parkway in the south part of the Loop business district. About two dozen police cars surrounded them. The demonstrators then began walking east along the parkway.

At the police station, the lingering crowd stood on a median divider island, with some trickling onto a sidewalk outside the station. A few sat and drank from bottles of water while and others snacked on pizzas. Most activists stood quietly while a few officers looked on.

Aislinn Sol is an organizer for Black Lives Matter in Chicago. She says at least three, possibly four activists were taken into police custody, and the crowd planned to await their release.

Chicago police spokesman Hector Alfaro said late Tuesday that the department couldn't confirm arrests related to the protests and information was still trickling in. A police spokesman said earlier Tuesday that two protesters had been arrested

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11:00 p.m.

Protests near downtown Chicago following the release of a video that shows a white police officer shooting a black teen 16 times have dissipated.

A crowd that once numbered in the hundreds had dispersed by 11 p.m. Tuesday.

An organizer for Black Lives Matter Chicago says a smaller group will head to a police station.

The protests came after police released the squad-car video of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald's 2014 death. Prosecutors on Tuesday charged Officer Jason Van Dyke with first-degree murder in the shooting.

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9:45 p.m.

Protesters have returned to Michigan Avenue amid demonstrations after the release of a squad-car video that shows a white police officer shooting a black teen 16 times.

Several hundred people marched north along the thoroughfare, blocking traffic. Some were watching the video of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald's 2014 shooting death on cellphones as they walked. Prosecutors on Tuesday charged Officer Jason Van Dyke with first-degree murder in the shooting, and the video was released shortly after.

Protesters blocked Michigan Avenue earlier Tuesday night before marching to a South Loop police building and then turning north again. At least two arrests were made.

Among the protesters was 32-year-old Niama Malachi. She says the video was worse than she had expected.

She adds she hopes the protests remain peaceful, saying, "I don't think you resolve violence with violence."

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8:30 p.m.

Hundreds of protesters are gathered outside a Chicago Police Department building amid demonstrations after the release of a squad-car video that shows a white police officer shooting a black teen 16 times.

Officers on Tuesday night formed a line in front of the department's District 1 headquarters in the South Loop, blocking anyone from entering.

Protesters yelled at police, with some chanting, "Don't shoot me."

A police spokesman said earlier Tuesday that two protesters had been arrested. The spokesman said he didn't know on what charge.

The protests came a few hours after police released the video of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald's 2014 death. Prosecutors on Tuesday charged Officer Jason Van Dyke with first-degree murder in the shooting.

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7:30 p.m.

Small groups of protesters who marched south of downtown and up Chicago's Michigan Avenue with a police escort were stopped by officers as they headed toward Lake Shore Drive.

Some shouted at the officers they encountered, and many filmed the scene with cellphone cameras. After a short standoff, the crowd turned around and headed west, away from Lake Michigan.

Protesters took to the streets following the release of a squad-car video that shows a white police officer shooting a black teen 16 times.

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7:15 p.m.

Protesters have begun marching through Chicago streets following the release of a squad-car video that shows a white police officer shooting a black teen 16 times.

Several hundred people were blocking traffic Tuesday night on the city's near West Side. Some circled police cars in an intersection and chanted "16 shots."

The protests came a few hours after Chicago police released the video of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald's 2014 death. Prosecutors Tuesday charged Officer Jason Van Dyke with first-degree murder.

Among the protesters is Chicago resident Justin Taylor, an 18-year-old University of Iowa student home for the Thanksgiving holiday. He says: "It's powerful we're coming together. Things like this (shooting) happen too often."

Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy says the department is prepared to handle protests and urged they be peaceful.

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6:45 p.m.

A squad-car video of a black teenager's fatal shooting by a white Chicago police officer shows him fall in the street as he's hit by gunfire.

Laquan McDonald swings into view on a four-lane street where police vehicles are stopped in the middle of the roadway. As he jogs down the street, he appears to pull up his pants and then slows to a brisk walk, veering away from two officers emerging from a vehicle and drawing their guns.

One officer appears to fire from close range almost immediately, and McDonald spins around and crumples to the pavement. The second officer lowers his weapon.

The car with the camera continues to roll forward until the officers are out of the frame.

McDonald can be seen lying on the pavement, moving occasionally. Small puffs of smoke can be seen coming off his body.

In the final moments, an officer can be seen kicking something out of McDonald's hands.

The video released by city officials Tuesday has no audio.

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5:35 p.m.

Businesses in Chicago are advising tenants to be prepared for protests as Chicago officials release a video showing a white police officer shooting a black teenager 16 times.

Some management companies have said they intend to operate as usual but are prepared to lock down buildings if protests become unruly.

Prominent clergy members are calling for peaceful protests and civil disobedience as the city prepares to release dash-cam video of the 2014 shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. A judge last week ordered the city to publicly release the video.

Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy also are calling for calm, as are McDonald's parents.

Officer Jason Van Dyke was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder.

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5:30 p.m.

Chicago officials have released a video of a white police officer fatally shooting a black teenager last year.

The move Tuesday follows a judge's order last week to release the squad car dash-cam footage. Seventeen-year-old Laquan McDonald was shot 16 times on Oct. 20, 2014. Police say he refused to drop a knife.

Some worry the images could lead to the kind of unrest seen in Baltimore and Ferguson, Missouri, and other cities after young black men were slain by police or died in police custody.

Lawyers who have seen the video say it shows McDonald with a small knife and walking away from officers. They say Officer Jason Van Dyke opened fire from about 15 feet and kept shooting after the teen fell to the ground.

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5 p.m.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy urged calm as they prepared to release a video of a white officer fatally shooting a black teenager.

The officials spent the first several minutes of a news conference early Tuesday evening to ask residents to be peaceful in their protests and to lay out plans for policing the city should demonstrations escalate.

A judge last week ordered the release of the video of the October 2014 shooting of Laquan McDonald.

Officer Jason Van Dyke was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder in the shooting.

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4:20 p.m.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says it's up to the justice system to hold Officer Jason Van Dyke accountable.

Emanuel released a statement Tuesday after Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Laquan McDonald, a black 17-year-old who was shot 16 times.

Emanuel's statement says Van Dyke's "actions violated ... the moral standards that bind our community together." The mayor says the officer's actions "are in no way a reflection of the dedication and professionalism that our police officers exemplify every day and that our residents expect throughout our city."

The city of Chicago is expected to publicly release dash-cam video of the 2014 shooting.

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3:40 p.m.

The family of a black teenager fatally shot by a white Chicago police officer is calling for calm as the city prepares to release a video of the shooting.

Lawyers issued a statement Tuesday on behalf of Laquan McDonald's family. It came hours after Officer Jason Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder in the death of the teen, who was shot 16 times.

The statement says, "No one understands the anger more than us but if you choose to speak out, we urge you to be peaceful." It adds, "Don't resort to violence in Laquan's name."

The city's expected to release the video soon. City officials and community leaders have been bracing for its release, fearing an outbreak of unrest and demonstrations.

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3:20 p.m.

Prominent clergy members in Chicago are calling for peaceful protests and civil disobedience surrounding the anticipated release of a video showing the fatal shooting of a black teenager by a white police officer.

The city of Chicago has until Wednesday to publicly release dash-cam video of the 2014 shooting. Officer Jason Van Dyke was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder in the shooting death 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.

The Rev. Michael Pfleger anticipates rallies during the week and is encouraging a boycott of Black Friday shopping. He says protesters should sit on sidewalks in the main downtown shopping district of Michigan Avenue. He says disrupting sales on the major shopping day will be effective in helping bring attention to McDonald's death.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson is also calling for peaceful protests.

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2:40 p.m.

The attorney for a white Chicago police officer charged with murder in the shooting death of a black teenager says he's confident his client will prevail in the courtroom.

Attorney Dan Herbert said a video about to be released that shows the killing doesn't give the full picture. He has said Officer Jason Van Dyke feared for his life and acted lawfully.

But he acknowledges members of the public will likely conclude otherwise.

Herbert said the case "can't be tried in the streets, can't be tried on social media and can't be tried on Facebook."

Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder Tuesday, more than a year after the shooting.

Seventeen-year-old Laquan McDonald was shot 16 times. He was carrying a 3-inch knife, but witnesses say McDonald was moving away from officers when he was shot.

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2:15 p.m.

The white Chicago police officer charged with murder in the 2014 shooting death of a black teenager emptied his 9 mm pistol of all 16 rounds.

He was on the scene for just 30 seconds before he started shooting and he opened fire just six seconds after getting out of his vehicle. He continued firing even though 17-year-old Laquan McDonald dropped to the ground after the first shots.

Cook County's top prosecutor provided those details Tuesday after announcing the murder charge against Officer Jason Van Dyke.

The city has a Wednesday deadline to release squad-car video showing the shooting.

State's attorney Anita Alvarez said of the video: "it is graphic, it is violent, it is chilling." She added that it will "tear at the hearts" of Chicagoans. But she appealed for calm, saying she wants young people to know that authorities are listening to their concerns about policing and justice.

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1:40 p.m.

The Cook County state's attorney is defending the amount of time it took to charge a white Chicago police officer who shot a black teenager 16 times in a killing caught on dashcam video.

Anita Alvarez's office announced a first-degree murder charge on Tuesday, just a day before a deadline the city faces for releasing the video and more than a year after the shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.

Alvarez said cases involving police officers present "highly complex" legal issues and she would rather take the time to get it right than "rush to judgment."

She said the impending release of the video, ordered by a judge, prompted her to move up the announcement of the charge out of concern that the video would spark violence. But she insisted that she made a decision "weeks ago" to charge the officer and the video's release did not influence that.

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12:45 p.m.

A judge has denied bond for a white Chicago police officer charged with murder in the shooting death of a black teenager.

Officer Jason Van Dyke was ordered to remain in custody at a bond hearing Tuesday.

Van Dyke fatally shot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014 after officers responded to complaints about cars being broken into and radios stolen.

Assistant State's Attorney Bill Delaney said Van Dyke emptied his 9 mm pistol, shooting the teen 16 times from just 10 feet away. He said the shooting lasted 14-15 seconds and that McDonald was on the ground for 13 seconds.

Delaney says witnesses maintain McDonald was moving away from the officer and never threatened him.

Police say the teen had a knife, and Delaney said a 3-inch knife was recovered from the scene.

Van Dyke's attorney maintains his client acted lawfully.

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12:30 p.m.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is trying to tamp down tension as the city prepares to release dashcam video showing a white police officer shooting a black teenager 16 times.

The officer was charged with murder on Tuesday, more than a year after the teen's shooting death.

The city's police chief on Monday called for the firing of another officer who's been the target of protesters in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black woman, 22-year-old Rekia Boyd.

Emanuel released a statement Tuesday condemning Dante Servin's actions in the Boyd shooting in 2012.

The mayor said Servin "does not deserve to wear a police star or to patrol our communities."

A judge acquitted Servin of involuntary manslaughter and other charges last April.

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This item has been corrected to show that Servin was acquitted by a judge, not a jury.

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11 a.m.

Gov. Bruce Rauner says Illinois State Police are working with Chicago officials to ensure people remain safe following the release of a video that shows a white police officer shooting a black teen 16 times.

Rauner said Tuesday his office has been briefed on the contents of the video that shows 17-year-old Laquan McDonald's death in 2014.

A judge has ordered the video to be released by Wednesday.

Rauner says the video is "very troubling" and that he expects public reaction to be "strong." But he says he hopes and believes the response will be "thoughtful and peaceful."

The Republican declined to say whether he's deployed additional troopers to Chicago or put the Illinois National Guard on standby.

Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke has been charged with murder in the killing.

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10:10 a.m.

A white Chicago police officer has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting a black teenager.

Charges announced Tuesday come as the city prepares to release a squad-car video of Officer Jason Van Dyke shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times on Oct. 20, 2014.

The state's attorney's office said in a news release that Van Dyke has been charged with first degree murder.

People who have seen the video say it shows McDonald armed with a small knife and walking away from officers. Van Dyke opens fire from about 15 feet and keeps shooting after the teen falls to the ground.

An autopsy says he was shot at least twice in the back.

Some worry the images could lead to unrest as in Baltimore and Ferguson, Missouri, after police-involved deaths.

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9:15 a.m.

A white Chicago police officer who shot a black teenager 16 times has turned himself in at the Cook County courthouse where he's expected to face a murder charge.

Trailed by reporters and photographers, Officer Jason Van Dyke walked into the courthouse Tuesday morning.

An official close to the investigation told The Associated Press' Don Babwin that county prosecutors are expected to charge him with murder on Tuesday.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to pre-empt the expected charges.

The Oct. 20, 2014, shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was captured on a squad car's dashcam, and a judge has given the city until the end of Wednesday to release it publicly.

Several people who have seen the video say it shows McDonald armed with a small knife and walking away from several officers. An autopsy report says he was shot at least twice in his back.

Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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