COPA Releases Body Cam Video Of Police Shooting That Killed Miguel Vega In Pilsen
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Civilian Office of Police Accountability on Monday released body cam video of a police shooting that left a man dead in Pilsen earlier this month.
Police have said two officers were driving down 19th Street at Loomis Street on the evening of Tuesday, Sept. 1, when they came under fire.
Police said they were there for a call for a suspicious person and were patrolling the neighborhood in an unmarked car. Police said officers saw five men standing on the sidewalk, and the officers attempted to get out of their unmarked car when they were shot at.
One of the officers shot back and struck and killed Miguel Vega, 26. Vega was shot in the back of the head and died at the hospital.
There is no audio in the beginning of the clip from the body camera of the officer who fired the shots, but an officer is seen opening the passenger-side door of the cruiser and firing his weapon.
Log # 2020-4103 Body Worn Camera 1 from COPA Chicago on Vimeo.
COPA also released body cam video from other officers, audio, and written reports.
Police did find a weapon at the scene. At the time, police tweeted a picture saying they recovered Vega's gun. However, Vega's family claims that gun was discovered over 40 feet away from his body.
The video came out 21 days after the shooting. Just last week the Chicago Office of the Inspector General accused COPA of not following its own policies in failing to release video and documents of police use-of-force incidents within 60 days.
