On March 21, 2024, a routine traffic stop in Humboldt Park, Chicago took a tragic turn when 26-year-old Dexter Reed was shot and killed by the police. This incident has sparked outrage and a myriad of questions about the tactics employed by the Chicago Police Department.
Outside the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), Dexter’s family and their lawyer, Andrew Stroth, demanded justice. They are calling for criminal charges against the officers involved in this fatal encounter. This call for action was amplified when COPA released video footage of the shooting, which only deepened concerns about police conduct that day.
The video paints a picture of an intense situation where Dexter allegedly fired first after his car was surrounded by officers during the stop. But Dexter’s family and their legal team are left questioning why a traffic stop—for supposedly not wearing a seatbelt—escalated to such deadly proportions.
Their questions also extend to why five tactical officers felt it necessary to approach Dexter’s car with guns drawn over what should have been a simple traffic violation. This aggressive response seems disproportionate and raises broader questions about policing tactics in Chicago.
Dexter had previous run-ins with law enforcement including arrests in 2023 for misdemeanor theft charges in June and weapons charges in July. However, these past encounters do not justify or explain the extreme response from the police during this traffic stop.
COPA’s ongoing investigation into this incident has already highlighted inconsistencies. The initial reason given for the traffic stop—a seatbelt violation—is under scrutiny. COPA suggests there are “serious concerns” about whether this justification holds water.
NEW: Mother of Dexter Reed who was shot and killed by Chicago police during a traffic stop, falls over during a press conference.
New video footage shows police officers firing 96 shots at Reed in less than a minute.
Reed was pulled over during a traffic stop and refused to… pic.twitter.com/30OvL7lWUc
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) April 10, 2024
Media coverage of this event is adding fuel to the fire with narratives that seem intent on stirring up civil unrest reminiscent of 2020. Certain outlets neglect to mention that according to COPA’s report, Dexter fired the first shots at the officers who pulled him over.
Meanwhile, CNN reporter Omar Jimenez deleted a post after being fact-checked on Twitter. He followed up with an explanation that he had poor cell service and had to delete his “poorly worded tweet.”
This incident and its aftermath reveal the complexity of policing in America. It underscores the need for transparency and accountability in law enforcement while raising serious questions about media narratives and their role in shaping public perceptions.
Source: Steadfast Updates
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