Chicago police move to fire officers in Laquan McDonald shooting

Shooting of Laquan McDonald by Chicago police officer

Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson has filed administrative charges seeking to fire six officers involved in the fatal shooting of Chicago teenager Laquan McDonald in 2014.

A statement issued Tuesday by the department says the officers gave false statements during the investigation into McDonald’s death.

The cases will be heard by the Chicago Police Board.

A seventh officer the department included in the administrative charges has retired, police said.

Dashcam video of the shooting contradicted nearly everything police said happened the night McDonald died. It showed McDonald walking away from police as he held a knife, not lunging toward officers, as police had said.

Officer Jason Van Dyke jumped out of his vehicle and pulled his gun, firing at McDonald six seconds after arriving on the scene.

Van Dyke continued to fire, unloading every round from his gun in 15 seconds.

The video appears to show McDonald’s body getting hit by bullets even after he was on the ground. All 16 rounds struck McDonald, 17.

It took 400 days to release the dashcam video to the public. After the city’s objections, a judge ordered the release.

Officer pleaded not guilty to murder

Van Dyke became the first Chicago officer charged with first-degree murder since 1980.

He has pleaded not guilty to six counts of first-degree murder.

If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.