An ordinary traffic stop in Humboldt Park, Chicago, Illinois escalated dramatically, ending in the death of 26-year-old Dexter Reed, a Black motorist, and sparking a city-wide debate about police behavior.
The event, recorded by body camera video and later released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), took place on March 21, 2024. Undercover officers in an unmarked car initiated the traffic stop, citing a suspected seatbelt violation.
COPA and an external specialist confirmed on Monday, April 8, that Reed, 26, apparently fired the first shot in the exchange that resulted in his death and injured a Chicago Police officer.
Revealed on Tuesday, April 9, the bodycam footage, which includes over 30 videos, demonstrates that one of Reed’s bullets struck an officer before the altercation ended. Questions have surfaced regarding why five tactical officers chose to concentrate on Reed.
The incident unfolded on West Ferdinand Street’s 3800 block in the Humboldt Park district. Five covert members of the Chicago Police Department’s tactical unit stopped Reed in an unmarked car. The video shows the officers ordering Reed to lower his window and questioning his behavior. As Reed started to raise the window again, the officers rapidly escalated the situation, instructing him not to close the window and to unlock the car doors.
COPA’s press release on Tuesday cast doubt on the initial reason for the stop — an alleged seatbelt violation. A letter from COPA’s Chief Administrator, Andrea Kersten, to Police Superintendent Larry Snelling, obtained by a local media outlet later that day, questioned the legitimacy of the stop. Kersten cited the difficulty the officers would have had in observing a seatbelt violation due to their position and the vehicle’s tinted windows, raising substantial concerns about the traffic stop’s validity.
Kersten’s account detailed how Reed, after being told to lower his windows and unlock his doors, fired a shot toward the passenger side, injuring an officer. Reed initially stayed in his car, then collided with a parked vehicle, left his firearm on the front passenger seat, and exited his vehicle to try to escape. Even though Reed was unarmed at this point, the officers continued to shoot, hitting Reed several times until he collapsed. One officer fired three additional shots at Reed while he was motionless.
Kersten highlighted the 96 total shots fired by the officers, and particularly the 50 shots fired by one officer, including the final three shots at a motionless Reed, as a serious challenge to the proportionality of their use of deadly force.
Mayor Johnson, who had met with Reed’s family, expressed his sorrow over the incident, especially because it reflects larger issues regarding young Black men’s interactions with law enforcement. Legal expert David Harris and former CPD First Deputy Supt. Anthony Riccio acknowledged the return fire was justified if Reed shot first, but they also raised vital questions about the conduct and reasoning behind the stop.
Reed’s family, represented by attorney Andrew M. Stroth, has expressed skepticism about the official account of his shooting.
Reed’s sister, Porscha Banks, spoke of the deep loss her family is enduring, emphasizing Reed’s significant role as a brother, son, and uncle. The family, mentioning Reed’s ambitions and basketball skills, is calling for a thorough investigation into the incident. They assert that the shooting was unlawful, noting that the officers, dressed in plain clothes, did not identify themselves as police.
The medical examiner has ruled Reed’s death a homicide, stating that he died from multiple gunshot wounds. The investigation into the shooting has now become a nexus of grief, outrage, and calls for systemic change. While officials promise transparency and the Reed family seeks answers, the community grapples with the consequences of those 41 seconds — a brief period that has permanently changed lives and spurred a renewed examination of police practices.
This event is unfolding amidst ongoing national discussions about law enforcement’s use of force, and Chicago’s own history with these incidents is under close scrutiny. As COPA and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office delve into the specifics of that March evening, the questions raised go beyond the case itself, touching on the wider issues of policing, community trust, and the pursuit of justice following violence.
