Chicago Police Officers Cleared in Fatal Shooting Incident
A recent report from the Civilian Office of Police Accountability has cleared Chicago police officers involved in a fatal shooting incident that took place on May 27, 2024, on the 300 block of South Cicero Avenue.
The incident involved Tracey Watson, 35, who was shot and killed by officers as he stood over a victim and made stabbing motions.
According to COPA’s findings, officers were flagged down by a witness who reported that Watson was chasing their friend with a knife. Upon approaching the scene, officers ordered Watson to drop the knife, but he ignored the command and continued to advance towards the victim.
As the victim fell to the ground, attempting to protect himself, Watson continued to make stabbing motions. Despite repeated verbal commands to drop the knife, Watson failed to comply, leading the officers to open fire, resulting in his death and injuring the victim.
While Watson’s family disputed the police account, alleging that officers did not order him to drop the weapon, COPA concluded that the officers acted reasonably in using lethal force to prevent harm to the victim.
Both officers’ body cameras recorded the incident, with COPA recommending reprimands for not activating the cameras earlier. The agency acknowledged the officers’ use of de-escalation techniques before resorting to force, emphasizing the necessity of their actions to prevent further harm.
For more details and to view the officers’ bodycam footage, you can access the materials released by COPA here.
Original reporting, supported by our readers. Click here to show your support.
