Chicago Officials Release Video from Police Shooting of Unarmed Teenager

August 5, 2016

Videos from the fatal shooting of teenager Paul O'Neal by Chicago police show officers firing down a street as O'Neal sped away from them in a reportedly stolen car and, moments later, officers handcuffing O'Neal as he lay mortally wounded behind a South Shore home.

Acting with uncharacteristic swiftness, Chicago officials on Friday made public nine videos in all. Shortly before the 11 a.m. release, the head of the Chicago police oversight agency called the video footage "shocking and disturbing" and said that her heart went out to the family of 18-year-old O'Neal.

Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson took quick action after the shooting, stripping three officers who opened fire at O'Neal of their police powers and saying it appeared they had violated departmental policies.

Chicago police officers tried to stop O'Neal about 7:30 p.m. July 28 in the South Shore neighborhood as he drove a Jaguar convertible reported stolen in Bolingbrook, police said. Surveillance cameras tied O'Neal and three others to a spree of car thefts, officials in the suburb said.

O'Neal struck two Chicago police vehicles in the sports car, and two officers fired at him while he was in the car, authorities said. O'Neal fled from the car, police said, and a third officer chased him behind a home. After O'Neal refused to stop, the officer shot him.

O'Neal, who was unarmed, died of a gunshot wound to the back, authorities said.