A dashboard camera video obtained by The Chicago Reporter shows a police officer firing more than a dozen shots into a car filled with black teenagers in apparent violation of Chicago Police Department policy.
The video emerges at a time when iPhones, security cameras and other devices across the country are capturing images that often contradict police accounts of incidents in which officers are accused of misconduct.
In the video, recorded in December 2013, a Chicago police officer, identified in court documents as Marco Proano, shoots into a moving car of six unarmed teenagers at 95th and LaSalle streets on the city’s South Side. Two of the teenagers were shot – one in the shoulder and the other in the left hip and right heel, according to court documents.
Retired Cook County Judge Andrew Berman was so troubled by the video that he provided it to the Reporter. Berman was the judge in a criminal case against one of the teenagers. He described Proano’s actions as the most unsettling thing he’d seen in his 18 years as a judge and 17 years as a public defender.
“I’ve seen lots of gruesome, grisly crimes,” he said. “But this is disturbing on a whole different level.”
This isn’t the first time Proano has been accused of using excessive force, but it is the only complaint against him in the past four years that involved a shooting, according to CPD and court records. Proano was cleared in six previous complaints filed against him between 2011 and 2015, one of which involved excessive force.
The video is at the center of a federal lawsuit filed on behalf of the teens against the city and three police officers, which was settled in March. The City Council still must approve the $360,000 payout, which is expected in coming weeks. While it is a relatively small sum compared to some settlements to people who were killed by Chicago police officers, it is still more money than almost 90 percent of police misconduct payments by the city last year.
City lawyers successfully convinced a federal judge to put the video under a protective order, which prevented parties to the lawsuit from releasing it publicly. Neither Judge Berman nor the Reporter are legally bound by the order.
The Reporter’s calls to Proano were not returned and his lawyer declined to comment. Proano admitted in a federal court filing that he was the police officer who opened fire on the car filled with teenagers.
The city’s Independent Police Review Authority, known as IPRA, has not completed its investigation of the incident 18 months later. FBI officials would neither confirm nor deny a Chicago Sun-Times report that the agency is investigating the shooting.
Proano has been assigned to desk duty, according to the police department, but he has not been disciplined and remains on the force.
After the shooting, police discovered that the car the teenagers were driving was stolen. Three teens were charged. Their lawyers declined to comment on the charges or the proposed settlement of the federal lawsuit.
Berman heard one of the cases on his last day before retiring, and that’s when he saw the video.
“My first reaction was, if those are white kids in the car, there’s no way they [would] shoot,” he said.
Of the 50 victims of police shootings in Chicago last year, 78 percent were black, according to IPRA statistics.
“You don’t start firing into a car full of unarmed people,” Berman said. “You just don’t do that.”
Chicago Police Department policy, updated in February, prohibits “firing at or into a moving vehicle when the vehicle is the only force used against the sworn member or another person.”
Asked to view the video and offer his perspective, Jerry Staton, a retired detective who spent 25 years with the Austin (Tex.) Police Department said: “I see nothing in this video that would justify him shooting at this car. Having said that, it’s possible he knew something that I don’t know.”
Berman found the teenager in his courtroom not guilty of possessing a stolen motor vehicle. He said the State’s Attorney failed to prove that the teen knew the car was stolen, and his verdict would have been the same even if no shots had been fired.
But he said he hopes the video will put a spotlight on Proano’s actions and hold the officer accountable for what he called an “outrageous overuse of deadly force.”
“He shouldn’t be allowed to be out there with a gun,” Berman said. “He has shown callous disregard for human life.”
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It seems that judges regain their consciences once they are retired and can experience no retaliation professionally.
Chicago Reporter is biased repeatedly and demonstratedly anti police , has mis reported issues regarding police actions, and thus has no credibility.
The Reporter is a parrot and a shill for anti government and anti police interests, and have repeatedly portrayed the criminal underclass, not just the underclass, as governmental victims .
Any reports by this outlet is suspect and should be taken with more than a grain of salt.
They link to other sources. How about you use a factual attack on the story instead of your empty opinion?
Your head is more empty than my opinion, moron. I post what can be or has been proven or disproven. What about you?
I stated a verifiable fact. You offered a worthless opinion followed by a worthless personal attack and still no facts. I have won you have lost.
Yawn..you bore me move on
I’m not sure what you’re referring to. They are citing the resources like they should
The Reporter cherry picks and report what they want to report which is often erroneous and exaggerated
Watch the video you fool.
One video doesn’t prove anything or validate the Chicago reporter you idiot
That trigger happy THUG cop needs to be thrown in jail for attempted murder. Let the prisoners have their way with him.
The way the prisoners are killing each other, and getting released en masse by the county, it may not be enough prisoners left to have their way with anyone.
So cops pull over a stolen vehicle full of black guys. Black guys attempt to evade arrest in said stolen vehicle. Cops over-reacts and shoots at it. Black guy goes “I dindu nuffin” and claims he didn’t know it was stolen!
Bad choices on both sides IMHO
According to the report, they found out the car was stolen after the fact and had nothing to do with the initial stop.
No, the cop pulled them over for speeding and jumped out of his car with his gun pointed at them for a routine traffic stop. You really should learn how to read articles properly before you make such an ignorant post.
Watch the video again, A different officer stopped them, he was back up. You can clearly see the primary ‘s cruiser as the secondary comes around the corner. Everything at this time is under control. Then the second officer jumps out with gun drawn. The first officer takes his time “chasing” down the runner, calms him down and brings him back to the scene without incident. It appears the primary officer never worried enough to draw his weapon. Nobody tried to evade arrest; though at least one tried to evade unprovoked shooting.
Tragic, but it’s hard to fault this cop for anything other than an iffy decision made in the heat of the moment. A car is a deadly weapon, and the driver could have easily killed one of the people inside the car behind him he was recklessly gunning into, one of bystanders standing on the sidewalk, or turned slightly to his left after reversing and run over the cop. And it looks like the policy prohibiting this was only changed after the incident.
The car was moving away from him not towards him so he was in no danger from the operation of the car.
How can you make such a retarded comment if you actually watched the video? This insane cop jumps out of his car with his gun pointed at a car he pulled over for speeding. The bystanders on the sidewalk were only in danger from the clearly untrained cop shooting right at them.
i think you’re confused because i’m watching it through a prism of experience that you lack.
he draws as the car he stopped for speeding begins to move towards him. he’s holding his weapon like that as he’s trying to warn them, not expecting to have to shoot. when he decides he’s actually going to shoot he brings up his other hand.
he’s not being the optimal cop here but his actions are a long way off from being a crime. he’s clearly protecting himself and those around him.
Name calling and labeling always bolsters your point and proves mine.
You didn’t watch the video…
Cop was holding the gun sideways just like they do in the rap videos. He must be really cool.
That’s why I teach my kids, always kill any cop you encounter, they will kill you for nothing.
Damn, you’re one ignorant libtard. I hope the cops shoot you.
I second that. Maybe that was written as parody or satire
You gotta be trolling. Anyone with the type of mentality you pretend to have who would pollute their own children’s minds like that wouldn’t have any kids to begin with. No one would be that hard up to even be involved with the likes of you.
Just like I teach your wife, always swallow, never spit
Lol, you proved my point
The city had lawyers that made a good argument to suppress the tape. It could have been a whole different outcome if the tape would have come out.
Looks like Chicago is trying to buy its way out of a race riot. Meanwhile, murder is at a record high and the Dimbocrat thugs have no concern about who they hurt or kill.
This cop is a hero.
This cop is a bozo. The initial report said a gun was in the gun. A gun was not in the car. Because shots were fired, a police report was falsified. Before we start writing folk songs about this cop, remember that he’s had six prior complaints in four years.
Complaints by themselves means nothing. It means a allegation of wrongdoing or misconduct.
People file complaints against cops all the time. So what.
I know some cops get complained on all the time, and do great work.
I know others who do nothing or just the bare minimum to get by, and they are lousy performers.
And there are cops who amass few if any complaints in their entire career, and snaps or makes a bad decision like the cop who just killed his wife in New Jersey.
Don’t drink the kool aide. Complaints are complaints and with a few exceptions means nothing.
I have rarely seen reporters or journalists file complaints on each other, whats up with that?
WTF?
I don’t know if he is a hero, maybe just a cop trying to stay alive while doing an insane job.
Bunch of teenagers , Black or White,in a stolen car would be dangerous to approach .Did they refuse to get out of the vehicle when ordered ,did they make threatening signs to cause worry , or were they just a bunch kids cruising in a stolen car and did not know it was stolen .
Blacks are starting to wise up and violate the law intentionally ,mouthing off and not following police commands. They give themselves some bruises prior and make a move toward the officers They just happen to have someone near with a cam camera showing the police restraining the poor innocent hoods and they scream police brutality
The new Black ATM
You might as well call them “uppity”; you know you want to.
They were stopped for speeding you dumbass. Try reading the article before spreading your stupidity around.
And the car they were speeding in was stolen. So your point is?
That doesn’t make any sense, cops run your plates before they even pull you over, they would have known the car was stolen before they pulled them over, again, not justifying the cops actions, just saying it’s funny how these stories always come out one sided, either for or against
Sometimes a car is stolen and gone before the owner discovers it’s missing. It’s only reported stolen when the cops inputs it into the system.
Hate and division, which rules the country at this point, create the one sided stories and just widens the gap … for sane and honest evaluation.
You appear to be stupid.
You really want us to believe black kids bruise themselves and risk death after all the unarmed blacks that have been shot dead or ended up with a broken neck ?
The cameras are in the hands of passersby, you idiot.
Typical leftist counter cultural anti government idiocy. If you can’t successfully attack the argument attack the person.
I canceled my donation to the Chicago Reporter and recently moved out of Chicago Cook County. The only regrets I have about both decisions is that I did not do both sooner.
Chicago with its self entitled self righteous faux liberal rags like the Reporter, who am I told, is going to be subjected to a huge lawsuit in the future, the corrupt city and county government, the self serving equally corrupt black religious leadership, and the violence and blight perpetuated by the black street gangs, are all the impetus I needed to ensure all future viewings of Chicago are through my rear view mirror, and any hard copies of the Reporter find their way under my dog ,wrapped around dead fish, or disposed of in the proper receptacle for recycling.
and shot into the car, which was wrong, okay shoot at the car, or into the air? as THE STOLEN CARE FULL OF TEENAGERS BEGINNING TO FLEE. The police bad good or indifferent, first pointed the weapon at the car, then dropped his hand, the car did not stop, then he pointed the weapon and fired. that is the video.
I agree that it wasn’t the best course of action by the officer but letting these thugs speed off and possibly injure others during a chase isn’t a good option either. Let’s throw one of these anti-police yuppies into the ghetto to deal with thugs for a while. After a few days, they’ll shoot first at any sign of aggression. There is nothing for these thugs to lose if they go against police. There’s actually more to gain because they can sue if they get shot. A cop can’t gain anything from getting shot, it destroys his/her career & life and doesn’t get a fat city settlement $$$$$$$$.
Might as well get idiot tattood on your forehead lavender. You have to be pretty dim to watch the video and think that its acceptable for police to initiate a routine traffic stop by rushing at the car with a gun drawn. It is not surprising that the victims tried to flee from this nutter, who empties his whole clip when there are innocent civilians within his line of fire. Its amazing that a cop so clearly mentally handicapped made it out of the police academy.
Not defending the cops actions here but the car was stolen, I’m pretty sure it’s common practice to have their guns drawn when making a traffic stop on a stolen vehicle.
I cant say i cant believe people are defending this trash cop, i expect it by now. He violated policies he swore to follow, law enforcement and judges say he was 100% out of line. This man is not a hero, he is a criminal, period.
I can’t believe people validate criminal street gangs who shoot and or kill 6 month old babies, use them as bulletproof shields, allows 3 year olds to shoot themselves then hide the.guns, shoots 15 year old and 11 year old girls and 81 year old grandmothers, slays.9 year old and 1 year old kids,
The bigger tragedy is that the minority criminal underclass, not the minority underclass as a whole, are purported to be victims by the likes of the Chicago Reporter
as well as the sycophantic conventional , equally reprehensible local media.
Im sorry, the people who enforce and interpet law are being very clear here: the officer acted inapropreately and aginst regulations.
Again, Why?
why did they write the regulation that way or why did the interpet the regulation that way? Either way you would have to ask them.
HUH?
OKAY IF THEY SAY HE WAS 100% WRONG WHY WASN’T OR STILL TODAY BEEN CHARGED
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN JUDGES AND GRAND JURIES ALLOW DOMESTIC TERRORIST COPS TO CONTINUE THEIR TERRORISM. “Cops that cross the line are like puppies that bite. If you don’t punish them, or punish them appropriately, they become dogs that bite until someone eventually kills them.”
The same thing could be said about teenagers who steal cars and run from the police, and bleeding heart judges let the off, they grow up to be adults who steal cars and run from police, and eventually kill someone.
Same judge and juries that allows terrorist gang bangers, and nato like anarchists to run rough shod over Chicago which is why I moved 5 hours away.
Running away isn’t the solution. They can follow you 5 hours away. America needs to do something about this.
That’s true. I just got fed up with Chicago and Cook County
good comment … nonetheless, we continue to allow the race-pimps to go unchallenged when the whole truth is not presented, it really needs to be addressed at the cause. Hate and Division is the problem, and as long as that continues to be promoted, by activists, even the Attorney General and President, it will continue to escalate out of control. it is not just a cop issue, just like any other social issue, .. as long as we continue to support ideologies that divide and produce hate, it will never end. What number do you dial when you need emergency help? More division and hate is not going to change one thing.
I WOULD LIKE FOR MYOU MTO BE MORE SPECIFIC ON YOUR VIEW
If the Gangs in Chicago or any other city had any dignity, they would put a hit out on that cop and cops like him.
This happened in 2013…just now getting out
We need to require all video and audio recordings be open records and always available to news media and individuals, and not allow confiscation of personal recordings of police actions.
Agreed
yeah,that’s how they do us….this is a classic cover-up folks. these protests are doing some good because look at all the video footages coming to surface now. and yeah keep watch on the dates these incidents happened
When you are under stress you revert to your training. I guarantee the Chicago police academy did not train him to hold his weapon gang-banger style, so where was he trained to hold it like that? Maybe we need a better way of vetting recruits to the police department so that we don’t give gang-bangers guns and badges.
I was going to also post that as well, LOL.
It seems that this opening fire on groups of blacks is part of a mental state that officers have that all blacks are violent and will attack them if given the chance. This may be partially true to the officers state of mind because this is what they encounter every day on the job. A policeman has a self preservation instinct and will use it to protect him/herself. So why is this? we can try to be politically correct or try to be just plain correct. It is the action of other violent blacks that have created this mind set, so really who’s to blame for the officers reaction? Even the president of the United States once said that when he was crossing the st. he would notice people putting up their car windows when he walked by. If Barrak Obama is not a murderer or a car jacker then he is being judged by the many other blacks that make all blacks look bad. And so the police dont know either and are not taking a chance. There are things that groups of blacks do that Caucasians dont do and thats why the police would hesitate using force with whites. If these things didnt happen no one would be suspicious of blacks motives but the truth is that it does and law enforcement has the statistics. This may sound racial to some people that want to see it only their way, but its not meant to be, its just an observation.
If police treat the public as the enemy, and separate themselves from the public, we must treat them so also. Get rid of all local, state and federal policing forces and replace them with agencies completely under citizen control and rules of operation. If elected and appointed leaders allow police to use inordinate force, and don’t require civility and don’t effectively establish rules for peaceful levels of force until a known need exists, we must vote based on candidates who will and who do so. We come together on and take control of this crucial issue or those who require their financial control and profit from us will continue to make rules forcing controls and reducing real freedom and our sense of security.
There are some serious issues with this officer’s actions, yes, but also with the article describing the victims/suspects as ‘unarmed’. A vehicle is and can be used as a weapon, and it certainly looked as though the driver was ready to use it in that fashion to get away.
That said, the passengers were not in control of the driver’s actions and could not be considered to be armed. 5 of the 6 people in the car were unarmed.
so thats what attempted murder looks like. enjoy paying for this monsters retirement.
I really wish they would just give the cops RPG’s, make it a lot cleaner.
Yeah so they can’t take out your family and clean up the gene pool.
Moron