The Chicago Police Department has released body camera footage of the officer-involved shooting of Harith Augustus on Saturday that shows he was reaching for a holstered gun when shot:
Video of confrontation between police and Mr. Augustus at 71st and Jeffery. pic.twitter.com/Qd9q9IXNdS
— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) July 15, 2018
From the Washington Post:
Police Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson said he released the footage with rare speed to dispel rumors that Augustus was unarmed and to defuse public outrage in Chicago, where the shooting has prompted protests and confrontations with police.
“I have an obligation to this city, to the community, and to these police officers, to make sure this city is safe and calm,” Johnson said in a news conference. “We can’t have another night like that.”
Before the footage was released today, a narrative was quickly building that cops shot Augustus in the back as was running away:
A Black man was just shot & killed by CPD. Praying for justice for him & his community face to face with hordes of racist, armed police *right now*.
Police only serve & protect wealth & white supremacy. Abolition is not an aspirational ideal, but an immediate humanitarian demand. https://t.co/iXHzuZ4W4c— Hoda Katebi (@hodakatebi) July 15, 2018
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Moms Demand founder Shannon Watts accused the cops of racism over the shooting:
#HarithAugustus, a father of a 5-year-old girl, was fatally shot by police on Saturday. It was at the least the third time in two weeks that a Chicago police officer has shot someone. We can’t talk about gun violence in America without talking about racism. #BlackLivesMatter https://t.co/sN0gA0wIPV
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) July 15, 2018
And the Women’s March account tweeted that Augustus was murdered by the police:
Yesterday, Chicago police shot and killed #HarithAugustus, a local barber. Led by Black women, Chicagoans took to the streets to demand answers and justice. CPD responded by brutally beating civilians and journalists, and arresting several protestors.
It’s been #5YearsOfBLM https://t.co/J365KF2ikJ
— Women's March (@womensmarch) July 15, 2018
A new protest is currently underway, despite the video:
Protestors headed north stopped by police blockade at 67th/Jeffrey. Heated argument breaking out.
— Will Lee (@MidnoirCowboy) July 15, 2018
Crowd moving west on 67th. pic.twitter.com/aTT2RmGpJL
— Will Lee (@MidnoirCowboy) July 15, 2018
Group now gathered at 67th/Stony Island. It's tying up traffic in every direction. pic.twitter.com/KiwztrdLbS
— Will Lee (@MidnoirCowboy) July 15, 2018
***
Related:
SCOTUS pick Brett Kavanaugh used credit cards to buy baseball tickets and Shannon Watts is suspicious https://t.co/SQwFNYKZuq
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) July 11, 2018
Oh, SNAP! Shannon Watts' diss of Dana Loesch's 'experience' on immigration blows up in her FACE https://t.co/eUpAtrxC0X
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) July 2, 2018
THERE SHE IS! Shannon Watts doesn't let the truth stop her from dancing on Capital Gazette victims' graves https://t.co/M26XKAb1Td
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) June 28, 2018
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