Family Blames Police For Toddler's Death In High-Speed Chase

By Emma G. Gallegos in News on Jul 23, 2015 8:25PM

Dillan Harris (Photo provided by family)

Police are being blamed for the death of 13-month-old Dillan Harris, who was killed earlier this month when a suspect in a high-speed chase careened into his stroller as his family waited at a bus stop, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday.

Harris was in a stroller being pushed by his mother Shatrelle McComb at 63rd Street and Ellis Avenue on July 11, when 21-year-old Antoine Watkins's car allegedly jumped the curb. The car fatally struck Harris and dragged the stroller into a nearby lot. Watkins was fleeing police after allegedly killing Marvin Carr, a Chicago rapper affiliated with Chief Keef. Watkins was arrested a short time later. (The Chicago-born Chief Keef later tried but failed to hold a charity hologram concert in honor of his late friend and Harris.)

At a press conference today, the attorney for Harris' family pointed the finger at police actions as well as Watkins, according to the Chicago Tribune. McComb's attorney Antonio Romanucci told reporters that he had evidence—though he declined to say exactly what that evidence was—that superiors had called off the high-speed chase.

The pursuit wound through 3.5 miles of residential South Side neighborhoods, and Romanucci called it a "police chase that never should have happened." He questioned whether police would have continued a similar chase on the North Side. The lawsuit filed on behalf of McComb targets 20 unnamed police officers who allegedly disregarded superior's orders, according to CBS Chicago. Watkins is also named in the suit.

"It all circles back to the culture that is instilled in the police department — they never accept responsibility," Romanucci said.

McComb struggled to speak at the conference, offering up a brief, tearful statement: "The only thing I have to say is my son was innocent, and he should not have died."

Here is a video of today's press conference: