Video Shows Chicago Cop Opening Fire On Unarmed Black Teens In 2013

By Rachel Cromidas in News on Jun 18, 2015 4:35PM

A video of a Chicago police officer opening fire on several unarmed black teenagers in a car in 2013 has been made public.

The video is grisly and disturbing, to say the least. In it, the officer can be seen opening fire on an unarmed car filled with black teenagers, peppering them with more than a dozen bullets.

The behavior appears recklessly dangerous and excessive. It's also an apparent violation of the police departments code of conduct.

Retired Cook County Judge Andrew Berman was so disturbed by the video he provided it to the Chicago Reporter, according to a story published on the news outlet's website Wednesday.

The video, shot in December 2013, was provided to Berman when he worked as the judge in a criminal case against one of the teenagers, according to the Reporter. It depicts police officer Marco Proano and a car with six unarmed teenagers at 95th and LaSalle streets, according to court records, and two of the teenagers were shot.

The video is the focal point of a federal lawsuit against the city and three police officers, but it was settled in March for $360,000 on behalf of the two teens, the Reporter says. A judge put the video under a protective order at the city's request to prevent it from being released to the public, but that order does not cover Judge Berman or the Reporter.

Proano has been assigned to desk duty by the police department, but he remains on the force and has not been disciplined, the Reporter says.

Berman's reaction to the video was one of outrage and dismay:

“You don’t start firing into a car full of unarmed people,” Berman said. “You just don’t do that.” “He shouldn’t be allowed to be out there with a gun,” .... “He has shown callous disregard for human life.”