Plainclothes Chicago police officers fired nearly 100 gunshots over 41 seconds during a traffic stop that left one man dead and one officer injured, according to graphic video footage a police oversight agency released Tuesday.

Five officers from a tactical unit who were in an unmarked police vehicle surrounded an SUV last month driven by Dexter Reed, allegedly for failing to wear a seatbelt. Video shows the 26-year-old Black man briefly lowering a window and then raising it and refusing to exit the vehicle as more officers arrived, yelled commands and drew weapons.

  • squozenode@lemmy.world
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    7 months ago

    This is exactly why the “defund the police” movement is so popular.

    Traffic cops do not need to be armed.

    • ryathal@sh.itjust.works
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      7 months ago

      Traffic stops should also be initiated by marked cruisers. If needed, plainclothes cops can assist, but they shouldn’t be the first contact.

      • Passerby6497@lemmy.world
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        7 months ago

        I’m not stopping for an unmarked without being on the phone with 911 to make sure they’re a real cop.

        Growing up, we had a string of assaults in a podunk city that was perpetrated buy some guy(s) who bought some blue/red lights and a siren. Hell, for a while even the cops were saying not to stop outside of a well lit area at night…