Chicago residents confront alderman over deadly police shooting
On Tuesday, frustrated residents from the South Shore neighborhood confronted their alderman over the police-involved death of a barber.
Emotions were high and tensions was flaring at the 5th Ward alderman meeting. The alderman brought up the shooting and the protests that followed in her opening remarks.
“Constructive protest is one thing but the vast majority of protesters were outsiders coming to the scene to agitate and incite chaos,” said Alderman Leslie Hairston.
Hairston was in the hot seat Tuesday night at her monthly meeting with residents and protesters.
"You were nowhere around Leslie, you need to let these officers know that their actions were unacceptable to the 5th Ward,” one person said.
She was fielding questions from a fired up group of protesters over the deadly police shooting of Harith Augustus that took place near 71st and S Jeffrey.
“I am not an enemy,” Hairston said.
“No one is calling you the enemy but we are saying you are working with the enemy,” residents responded.
The protesters’ demands include the arrest of the officers involved and more videos released of the police shooting.
The alderman agrees more video evidence should be made public, but also adding those decisions are up to COPA -- the Civilan Office of Police Accountability.
Black Lives Matter Chicago is not backing down, and they are demanding a private meeting with the alderman.
Alderman Hairston says she supports the groups demands for police reform and will dedicate her monthly meeting in September to the public safety issue and the police shooting death.