Both of our candidates have released strong statements upon the release of the dashcam video of the murder of Laquan McDonald.
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders Demand Justice For Laquan McDonald
Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have both released statements decrying the police shooting of Chicago 17-year-old Laquan McDonald after officials released the video of the killing.
Chicago officials have finally released dashcam video that shows Laquan McDonald being gunned down by a police officer who fired 16 bullets in 15 seconds. The officer who fired all of the shots, Jason Van Dyke, has been charged with first-degree murder and the Windy City remains on edge.
Hillary:
“The family of Laquan McDonald and the people of Chicago deserve justice and accountability. As criminal charges proceed, in this case, we also have to grapple as a country with broader questions about ensuring that all our citizens and communities are protected and respected. The mothers I met recently in Chicago are right: we cannot go on like this. All over America, there are police officers honorably doing their duty, demonstrating how to protect the public without resorting to unnecessary force. We need to learn from and build on those examples. The loss of so many young African Americans taken too soon should reaffirm our commitment to press forward for progress.”
Bernie:
“All Americans should be sickened by the video of Laquan McDonald’s murder. As a nation, we must do more than just echo the phrase Black Lives Matter. We must put actions behind those words. Actions that will bring about the fundamental reform that is needed in the face of this crisis. Criminal justice reform must be the civil rights issue of the 21st century and the first piece must be putting an end to the killing of African Americans by police officers.”
KUDOS to both of our candidates for putting strong, angry words towards the dastardly act of Van Dyke, and framing it as the national crisis it is.
Other articles just released on this:
The Guardian: Hillary Clinton on Laquan McDonald shooting: 'We cannot go on like this'
The Hill: Sanders: Chicago shooting video sickening
The Hill: Hillary: Many young blacks 'taken too soon'
To his credit, Jeb Bush was the only GOP candidate to weigh in. But, while he called for charges against Van Dyke he predictably chose to focus on the plight of police officers instead of the actual victim here “It's tough to be a police officer".
2016 presidential candidates weigh in on fatal shooting of Chicago teen
We cannot go on like this, too many young African-Americans are taken too soon because of these senseless violent acts by those who are supposed to “protect and serve”, and the video made me sick to my stomach.