On May 31, an Oak Park police officer fatally shot 38-year-old Chicago resident Christian Wallace during a traffic stop near Austin Boulevard and Harrison Street.
Nearly a month later on June 30, the Village of Oak Park released footage from police body cameras, gas station security cameras and a dashboard camera. Footage shows how Wallace was shot four times by the police officer after a struggle ensued when police discovered during a protective pat down that Wallace was carrying a concealed firearm.
The footage also reveals that Wallace was stopped by the officer for failing to signal a lane change while driving on Austin Blvd.
“We recognize this video may be difficult to watch, and our thoughts remain with everyone affected by this incident,” Oak Park Police Chief Shatonya Johnson said in a statement released at the same time as the footage. “As the independent investigation continues, we ask the community to remember that the video is one piece of evidence and that all facts must be carefully reviewed before conclusions are reached.”
The Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force is investigating the incident, the first fatal shooting by an Oak Park police officer in nearly 40 years. Though the timeline of the investigation is unknown, once it’s completed, it will be submitted to the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, which will conduct its own review and decide whether to file charges against the police officer. The still-unnamed officer remains on medical leave from the Oak Park Police Department for an injury sustained during the incident.
“Until now, the video was withheld so that the Public Integrity Task Force could maintain the integrity of its investigation,” Oak Park President Vicki Scaman said in a statement. “Today, we can take an important step toward transparency owed to those family and friends, and to the entire community, with the release of the footage.”
This is a developing story.