Chicago Police Chief Seems To Blame Spike In Shootings On Laquan McDonald Video

Chicago Police Chief Seems To Blame Spike In Shootings On Laquan McDonald Video

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Chicago Police Department Superintendent Eddie Johnson addressed reporters after a meeting of the Major City Chiefs Association. Asked what he had learned from fellow police chiefs about why Chicago’s murder rate is especially high, Johnson cited the McDonald video’s release as a starting point. 

“We lost our superintendent back then, and made changes in how we document our contact with the public,” he said. “All of that started us back on a bad clip this year.”

So far, this year Chicago has seen more than 2,000 shootings and more than 400 homicides.

Dan Weissmann is a reporter for WBEZ. Follow him @danweissmann.