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         Chicago Officer Charged With Murder in Shooting of Black Teen

   by VOA News

   A police officer in Chicago has been charged with first-degree murder
   in the shooting death of a black teen.

   Veteran Officer Jason Van Dyke turned himself in to authorities Tuesday
   before a scheduled court hearing.

   Van Dyke is shown on a police car video shooting 17-year-old Laquan
   McDonald 16 times during an incident in October 2014. Many of those
   rounds were fired after McDonald was on the ground.

   The Chicago Tribune quoted police saying that during his encounter with
   officers, McDonald was behaving erratically, had drugs in his system
   and refused commands to drop a 4-inch knife.

   The newspaper said federal authorities were also investigating whether
   Van Dyke violated McDonald's civil rights protecting him from excessive
   force by police.

   The announcement of the charges came less than a week after a court
   ordered city officials to release the footage of the shooting.

   Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Monday called on religious and community
   leaders to appeal for calm and peaceful demonstrations.

   In Minneapolis, five people were shot near a Black Lives Matter protest
   outside a police station late Monday. The victims, all black men, were
   hospitalized with noncritical injuries.

   Police said they were searching for three white men who were seen
   earlier at the protest site. Authorities said they were discussing
   whether to label the shooting a hate crime.

   The demonstrators were protesting the police shooting this month of
   Jamar Clark, 24, during an altercation after a domestic dispute at a
   party. He later died from his injuries.
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/chicago-officer-charged-shooting-black-teen/3072052.html