Chicago Police Officer Cleared in Fatal Foot Chase
A Chicago police officer has been cleared of wrongdoing in a foot chase that ended with the pursued man falling, suffering a fatal head injury, and later dying in June 2024, according to a newly released report.
Community activists rallied around the death of 22-year-old David Curry, with Black Lives Matter Chicago labeling the incident a “police crime” and saying Curry’s life was “cut short” as he “ran for his life.” But documents released Thursday night by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability show the agency found that the officer involved did not violate department policy.
According to COPA’s report, the incident began shortly after 5 p.m. on June 23, 2024, when officers responded to a call from a woman who reported that Curry had struck her in the head multiple times and pointed a firearm at her.
The woman flagged officers down in the 8100 block of South Hermitage Avenue and pointed toward an alley, where officers saw Curry walking, COPA said. As officers drove closer, Curry began to run, throwing a firearm with an extended magazine onto the roof of a garage as he bolted away, the report said.
One officer got out of the squad car to chase Curry on foot. COPA said Curry continued running, turned, and collided with the cop. The force sent him falling backward, and he struck his head on what investigators described as an uneven concrete slab.
The officer told COPA that his hands were raised in front of him to grab Curry’s shirt when Curry suddenly turned, causing the collision. Investigators said video evidence and other information supported the officer’s account.
The cops immediately called for an ambulance and administered first aid, according to the report. Curry was transported to a hospital, where he later died from his injuries.
A witness told investigators that the officer pushed or slammed Curry to the ground and failed to call for an ambulance, the report said. COPA’s report stated its investigation determined the witness’ claims were not supported by evidence.
COPA’s investigation concluded that the pursuing officer would have been justified in performing a “takedown” of Curry, had he chosen to attempt one. Additionally, the agency found, “it was not foreseeable” that the foot chase would result in a fatal collision between Curry and the officer.
All of the materials released by COPA, including the officers’ bodycam footage, are available here.
