The Chicagoist will be launching later but in the meantime please enjoy our archives.

Jason Van Dyke Charged With 16 New Counts In Laquan McDonald Shooting

By Stephen Gossett in News on Mar 23, 2017 5:16PM

JasonVanDyke.jpg
Jason Van Dyke / Photo: Scott Olson / Getty Images

Former Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke now faces 16 additional charges in the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald. Van Dyke, who still faces six counts of first-degree murder, was hit earlier this month by prosecutors with 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, according to reports.

Van Dyke fired 16 times at the unarmed, 17-year-old McDonald in October, 2014. So, the 16 counts would seem to correspond with number of shots he fired. The indictment with the additional counts was reached by a grand jury last week, but it was only made known when mentioned by prosecutor Joseph McMahon at court hearing on Thursday morning, according to the Sun-Times.

McDonald was shot 16 times on October, 20 2014; but video of the shooting wasn't released to the public until more than a year later, in November 2015, immediately prior to Van Dyke being charged. The video sparked a massive wave of public protest, demands for reform and a yearlong investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. The bombshell results of that federal probe determined that the Chicago Police Department engaged in a pattern or practice of using force—including use of deadly force—that violates the Constitution.

Van Dyke is due back in court on April 20.