CPD Supt. Eddie Johnson responds to criticism following IG review of Laquan McDonald shooting
CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson is responding to criticism following the release of the Inspector General's report on the fatal Laquan McDonald shooting.
"I never thought and I never said the shooting of Laquan McDonald was justified," Jonson said. "What I will say today is that the incident was clearly a tragedy. It was devastating for the McDonald family. It was devastating for the Chicago Police Department, and it was devastating for the city of Chicago.
It's been five years since then-Officer Jason Van Dyke fired 16 shots into the black teenager.
At the time, Johnson was a deputy chief of patrol. His role in the case has never been clearly defined, until now.
According to Inspector General Joe Ferguson's report released Wednesday, Johnson viewed the infamous dashcam video with other top CPD officials and said nothing when they concluded the shooting was justifiable.
Some Chicago aldermen argue Johnson should have admitted that he saw the video.
Johnson said he acknowledged watching the video, but it was two weeks after the shooting. He said he didn't have all of the facts, and he wasn't in a position to comment or make a decision about the case at the time.
"In my particular case, I saw the video close to two weeks after the incident, and I was not in the initial larger after action meeting," Johnson said.
Some aldermen and other community leaders are now calling for Supt. Johnson's resignation.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot released a statement, saying she fully stands behind Supt. Johnson:
"I have full faith and confidence in Eddie Johnson as the leader of the Chicago Police Department. Over the years, I have spoken at length with Superintendent Johnson about the shooting of Laquan McDonald, the police response that night and the days after. Based on these discussions and my knowledge from other sources, there is nothing that gives me pause about the Superintendent's conduct related to that tragic event."
For past coverage of the Laquan McDonald shooting and Jason Van Dyke's trial, check out ABC7's timeline here.
