Protesters clash in Mt. Greenwood over police involved shooting

Tuesday, November 8, 2016
Brother of man killed by police appears in court
Michael Beal appeared in court Tuesday on charges connected to the deadly shooting of his brother in the Mount Greenwood neighborhood over the weekend.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Protesters clashed again in Chicago's Mount Greenwood neighborhood on Tuesday over the police shooting of Joshua Beal, just hours after his brother appeared in connection with a dispute that led to the shooting.

Tuesday evening, about 200 people, split between the Blue Lives Matter and Black Lives Matter movements, blocked traffic near 111th and Kedzie. Chicago police officers separated the group, but tensions remained high.

The group started gathering shortly before 6 p.m.

WATCH: CPD separates dueling demonstrators in Mount Greenwood.

Beal's brother appeared in court on Tuesday. His bond was set at $500,000 and his next court date is set for November 14.

Michael Beal, 28, was charged with aggravated battery, resisting arrest and attempting to disarm a police officer.

Beal and his brother, Joshua, were leaving a funeral with other family members in the Mount Greenwood neighborhood when investigators say they got involved in a road-rage incident with an off-duty firefighter and a police officer.

Joshua Beal was killed Saturday afternoon after the dispute.

Joshua Beal
Family photo

Michael Beal was arrested Saturday for what he allegedly did after his brother was shot by police officers.

"I don't think there is enough sympathy to go around for this family," said Barry Spector, Michael Beal's attorney.

The family had been leaving a relative's funeral Saturday afternoon when an altercation with off-duty police officers escalated to shots being fired.

Cellphone video, shared widely online this weekend, shows a 25-year-old Indianapolis man holding what appears to be a gun before he was fatally shot by a Chicago police sergeant.

Prosecutors allege Michael Beal attempted to get the gun his brother had dropped and wrestled with an off-duty officer, choking the officer.

Beal's attorney contends the confrontation was with officers not-in-uniform and there is more to be revealed.

"The bond was set at $500,000, which I think is extremely high for someone with no background. Charged with two probation-able felonies in the unlikely event he were convicted," said Barry Spector, the attorney for Michael Beal.

As the shooting is being investigated by IPRA, Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson spoke to a group of ministers from the Leaders Network about proposed changes to the department's use of force policy.

"I think a lot of time people want to see change quickly and it's more important for us to it right than to rush the process," said Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson.

"Professional police officers should know how to come into an area and calm things down rather than throwing gasoline on the fire," said Rev. Ira Acree of the Greater St. John Bible Church.

"We think there is great need for dialogue, great need for transparency, and we know it's not just up to the police. There are some community things that need to happen," said Rev. Cy Fields of the New Landmark Missionary Baptist Church.

On Monday, Chicago police said the cellphone video is authentic and not altered. The video shows a chaotic scene of shouting and shoving mostly white men on the left side of the screen and African American women on the right.

A man in red, identified as an off-duty officer by sources, is seen pointing a weapon at the group of women. He then puts the weapon into his waistband.

As the camera swings right, it shows a man a car length away from the argument raising his hand for two seconds with what looks like a weapon. The man was Beal, Chicago police said.

The fatal shooting of Beal occurs after the video ends and after other officers arrived on the scene.

The Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) is investigating.

"IPRA investigators are in talks with several eye witnesses and are taking steps to authenticate the videos and images that have been widely circulated. While it is still very early in the investigation we can confirm that early ballistic evidence suggests multiple firearms were discharged. It is our hope that people will wait until all evidence is brought to light before making any conclusions about what happened yesterday evening," said IPRA spokesperson Mia Sissac.

An off-duty firefighter was in a separate altercation nearby when the shots were fired, sources said.

A photo captured the firefighter, who ran toward the scene, trying to save Beal after the shooting.

The two Chicago officers involved in the incident are on administrative leave.

The incident sparked clashes between two groups near the site of the shooting.

On Sunday, Mount Greenwood residents squared off against activists demonstrating against the shooting. The clash between Black Lives Matters and Blue Lives Matters groups became tense at times as they exchanged chants such as "KKK" on one side and "CPD" on the other side.

On Sunday, protesters clashed in the Mount Greenwood neighborhood one day after a police-involved shooting.