Quantcast

The DNAinfo archives brought to you by WNYC.
Read the press release here.

Top Cop Eddie Johnson Berated By Protesters After Paul O'Neal Video Release

By DNAinfo Staff | August 5, 2016 2:23pm
 Hours after videos were released showing Chicago police officers shooting 18-year-old Paul O'Neal, Superintendent Eddie Johnson prepared to address reporters outside of police headquarters. Instead, as he approached microphones set up by various TV stations at 35th Street and Michigan Avenue, a group of protesters began giving Johnson a piece of their mind.
Hours after videos were released showing Chicago police officers shooting 18-year-old Paul O'Neal, Superintendent Eddie Johnson prepared to address reporters outside of police headquarters. Instead, as he approached microphones set up by various TV stations at 35th Street and Michigan Avenue, a group of protesters began giving Johnson a piece of their mind.
View Full Caption
ABC Chicago

CHICAGO — Hours after videos were released showing Chicago police officers shooting 18-year-old Paul O'Neal, Supt. Eddie Johnson tried to address reporters outside of police headquarters. 

Instead, as he approached microphones set up by various TV stations at 35th Street and Michigan Avenue, a group of protesters began giving Johnson a piece of their mind.

Protester Lamon Reccord pointed at Johnson, saying the top cop's assertion that he hadn't witnessed police misconduct in 27 years on the force "an insult to my intelligence." 

"The police out here are acting reckless," Reccord said. "They're reckless. When you see that video of the officer getting out the passenger seat, withdrawing his service weapon, he instantly got out of that car and starts shooting. He instantly got out of that car and starts shooting Paul O'Neal. Say his name. Remember his name." 

 

Johnson stood quietly as Reccord spoke, remaining in front of the cameras for several minutes. 

Reccord criticized not only police-involved shootings, but the low clearance rate when it comes to other shootings in the black community. 

"We get gunned down every single day by each other, and what does the police say? 'There was no arrest made,'" Reccord said. "If I'm not mistaken, your officers only solve 31 percent of killings."

In 2015, the department solved 26 percent of the city's murders, according to a DNAinfo analysis.

"We aren't here to shut you down for no reason," Reccord said. "Today is the last day. No more Paul O'Neals. No more Laquan McDonalds...No more Rekia Boyds. We are dissatisfied." 

As someone at the press conference asked the group to allow Johnson to speak, another protester said he didn't have anything worthwhile to say. Reccord said the protocols the department had put in place since the release of the Laquan McDonald video were not working — including the mandate that all officers who fire their weapon be required to be on desk duty for 30 days pending an investigation. 

"When he shot Paul O'Neal you know what he said... 'damn now I'm going to get 30 days of desk duty,'" Reccord said. "It's time to abolish the police and abolish this government."

When it became clear a press conference was not going to happen, Chicago Police Spokesman Anthony Gugliemi said "we'll respect that... he won't give his statement we'll respect that" and walked back toward the building. 

Reccord tweeted that there would be a protest outside of CPD headquarters at 8:30 p.m. 

For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here: