The Chicago Police Department released a dash cam video yesterday illustrating a police officer shooting 17 year-old Laquan McDonald. The incident happened in October of 2014 and depicts Officer Jason Van Dyke shooting McDonald 16 times. WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vObQrmsfczk

“The officer in this case took a young man’s life, and he’s going to have to account for his actions,” People have a right to be angry, people have a right to protest. We knew this day was coming. We’ve been prepared for this day coming for quite some time.

“We are not predicting doom and gloom,” We are predicting protests.”-Superintendent Garry McCarthy

Van Dyke was ordered held without bail at a hearing at the Leighton Criminal Court Building.

Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez said she had decided weeks ago to charge Van Dyke but was holding off until federal authorities completed their part of the joint investigation. Alvarez “moved up” her decision to charge Van Dyke after a Cook County judge ruled last week that the video should be released to the public.

McDonald, who was later found to have PCP in his system when he died, was refusing police commands to drop his knife. Officers trailed him for nearly half a mile, from a trucking yard where he had been breaking into vehicles through the parking lot of a Burger King. Officers tried to corral McDonald while awaiting backup to keep him away from passers-by. At one point, McDonald used the knife to slash the front tire of a squad car that was in his way. Van Dyke arrived on the scene, jumped out of his with his gun drawn and opened fire on McDonald, city officials have said.