Chicago, Illinois – Bodycam footage released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability reveals the dramatic moments leading up to the fatal shooting of 26-year-old Dexter Reed by Chicago police during a traffic stop.
The incident, which occurred on March 21 in a residential neighborhood, shows an officer approaching the driver of a white vehicle with tinted windows. Despite repeated commands to roll down the window, the driver continues to roll it up, prompting the officer to draw her gun in a tense confrontation.
As the situation escalates, multiple officers surround the vehicle, giving verbal commands that Reed fails to comply with. The encounter culminates in an exchange of gunfire, leaving Reed dead and an officer wounded in the forearm. A subsequent review of the footage and initial reports suggest that Reed fired first, leading to four officers returning fire.
Preliminary evidence indicates that officers fired approximately 96 times over a span of 41 seconds, even after Reed exited his vehicle and fell to the ground. He was transported to the hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. A firearm was recovered from the passenger seat of Reed’s vehicle.
Bodycam footage has played a crucial role in shedding light on officer-involved shootings, influencing legal proceedings and public perceptions of law enforcement actions. The release of such evidence has led to convictions of some officers for crimes while others have been exonerated of criminal charges after its disclosure.