On the heels of the Laquan McDonald verdict which was reached at the end of November, another verdict was reached on Monday in a fatal Chicago shooting by a police officer. Officer George Hernandez will face no criminal charges in the shooting of 25-year-old Ronald Johnson, which took place in October 2014. Cook County State Attorney Anita Alvarez felt the shooting was "reasonable and permissible," saying that Johnson was armed and posed a threat to police while he was running away, according to CNN.
The dashcam footage was released at a news conference and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lynn McCarthy attempted to show exactly how the shooting occurred from her perspective.
The Chicago Police Department is pleased with the decision, as it also believe the shooting was justified, stating in its initial release that "the offender [Johnson] pointed his weapon in the direction of the pursuing officers. As a result of this action, an officer discharged his weapon striking the offender," according to ABC News.
Michael Oppenheimer, the Johnson family attorney, stated his disbelief in the decision, calling it "a joke" and "the blind leading the blind," according to ABC News. Oppenheimer maintains that it was impossible for Johnson to have been carrying a gun at the speed he was running, that the gun was planted, and that there is no justification for shooting someone in the back, according to ABC News and the New York Times.
A local Black Lives Matter organizer also suggests that the police are covering up evidence and is asking for Alvarez and Mayor Rahm Emanuel to resign, reported the New York Times. Several protesters practiced their right to gather on the South Side of Chicago in the area where Johnson was killed and chanted for justice.
While there are no criminal charges, there is a federal civil lawsuit that is ongoing. Dorothy Holmes, Johnson's mother, has sued the city and criticized authorities for taking over a year to come to a decision.
