Laquan McDonald: Chicago police officer charged with murder over death of black teen shot 16 times

The officer who fatally shot a Chicago teen 16 times has been charged with first degree murder as the city braces for the moment video of the “disturbing” shooting is expected to be released to the public.

Officer Jason Van Dyke, 37, was indicted in the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald, which was captured in video footage that has been described as graphic, violent and “difficult to watch.” At a brief court appearance on Tuesday, proseuctors told told Cook County Circuit Court Associate Judge Joseph Panarese the video of the shooting does not show the teenager advancing on the offficer.

Mr Van Dyke was refused bail and the judge scheduled another hearing for next Monday and asked to see the video then in order to reconsider the issue, the Associated Press reported.

Chicago has been bracing itself since a court ruled last week that the city must release by Wednesday the dashcam footage from the fatal shooting of the 17-year-old in October 2014. A number of the bullets that struck the teenager, were apparently fired as he lay on a pavement.

City officials and community leaders have been meeting to discuss how to handle the release of the video and avoid the kinds of scenes witnessed in cities such as Ferguson and Baltimore, after peaceful protests turned violent after the death of black suspects at the hands of police.

Prosecutor Anita Alvarez said of the video on Tuesday: "It is graphic. It is violent. It is chilling. To watch a 17-year-old young man die in such a violent manner is deeply disturbing. I have absolutely no doubt that this video will tear at the hearts of all Chicagoans."

Reuters said that community leaders who met with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the city planned to release the video on Wednesday. Many will see the timing of Mr Van Dyke’s charging as part of an effort to control the situation.

Ja'Mal Green, of the community group Skyrocketing Teens Corp, said that based on the description he heard, “a lot of people are going to go crazy when they see the video.”

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“This video is definitely modern-day Emmett Till,” said Mr Green,referring to a black Chicago teen who was lynched while visiting Mississippi in 1955.

The release of the video of the shooting of the teenager comes at a time of heightened nationwide scrutiny of police use of lethal force against members of the Black and Latino communities,

Police have said the teenager had threatened them with a knife and slashed at the tires and windshield of a patrol car. The video showed him moving away from police at the time he was shot, said a lawyer for the teenager’s mother, who has seen the video.

The city has already reached a settlement with the young man’s family, agreeing in April to pay $5m, even though the family had not filed a lawsuit.

From 2008 to 2014 Chicago had an average of 50 fatal and non-fatal police shootings a year, more than bigger cities like New York and Los Angeles. Almost all of the Chicago shootings were found to be justified.