Press Releases

STATEMENT FROM REV. AL SHARPTON ON DASH-CAM VIDEO RELEASED BY THE CITY OF CHICAGO SHOWING 17-YR-OLD LAQUAN MCDONALD BEING KILLED BY POLICE OFFICER JASON VAN DYKE

For Immediate Release
November 24, 2015

STATEMENT FROM REV. AL SHARPTON ON DASH-CAM VIDEO RELEASED BY THE CITY OF CHICAGO SHOWING 17-YR-OLD LAQUAN MCDONALD BEING KILLED BY POLICE OFFICER JASON VAN DYKE

Tuesday, November 24, 2015 (New York, NY) – – -Civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton released the following statement regarding the dash-cam video distributed this evening by the City of Chicago:

“I was aware of this disturbing case from the beginning – including when I had an apartment in Chicago last year. I don’t understand how, even if the prosecutor needed time to go through the evidence, the Police Superintendent and others who saw this tape, did not immediately fire Officer Van Dyke. They did not need a prosecution to terminate him. Were there politics involved? Though clearly I only advocate non-violent protest, the community needs straightforward answers and the city needs to be forthcoming about why this dragged on so long. NAN is committed to dealing with the issue of violence in the Chicago – and that will not waver – no matter who is responsible for perpetrating these completely unacceptable acts.”

Rev. Al Sharpton, President of National Action Network

Rev. Al Sharpton will be live on Morning Joe on MSNBC at 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday, November 25th at 6:30 a.m.