Police oversight officials are investigating a Chicago cop who was apparently caught on video pummeling a man as he allegedly reached for a gun earlier this week in River North.
The video appears to show the officer strike Lorenzo Williams Jr. three times with a closed fist while two other cops grab Williams’ hair and struggle with him on the ground. It appears the officer was holding an object in his hand as he struck Williams.
The officer is then seen pulling out his gun and aiming it at Williams’ face. “I’m gonna f—— shoot you. You’re gonna get f—— shot,” the officer says.
The officer then appears to strike the camera with a walkie talkie before cursing at the person who was recording. “Get the f— out of my f—— face,” the officer says.
The arrest happened Tuesday evening in the 800 block of North Cambridge Avenue, according to court records.
Jennifer Rottner, a spokesperson for the city’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability, said the oversight agency opened an investigation stemming from a complaint made that day. She declined to comment further.
The Sun-Times isn’t naming the officer because he hasn’t formally been accused of wrongdoing.
Williams, 32, has been charged with unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, resisting or obstructing a peace officer and aggravated assault of a peace officer. Williams, who has a lengthy record of arrests, was ordered detained by Judge Susana Ortiz on Wednesday, court records show.
An arrest report shows Williams was seen on surveillance video carrying a handgun in his waistband in an “area highly known for its gang and narcotic activity.”
When officers approached, Williams tried to run off and was “taken down,” according to the report. During an ensuing struggle, Williams tried to grab for the gun and ignored requests to hand it over, the report says.
A handgun that was reported stolen in Iowa was recovered, the report says. Williams was taken to Ascension Saint Mary hospital with minor injuries.
Activist groups are planning a protest Thursday evening at the Near North District, where records show the officer is assigned.
Jasmine Smith, co-chair of the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression, claimed the officer has previously “brutalized our loved ones without being held accountable.” Williams is Black and the officer is white.
“We will not tolerate racist cops beating, brutalizing and threatening Black people at will, under the cover of a badge,” Smith said in a statement announcing the rally. “We have to take that badge away.”
A police spokesperson said the officer remained on active duty Thursday. The officer has been the subject of at least four complaints and seven use-of-force reports, according to a database of police misconduct maintained by the Invisible Institute.
The officer was involved in the wrongful raid of the home of social worker Anjanette Young, who was handcuffed naked as police searched her apartment. Records show that COPA pushed to have the officer suspended for 15 days.
It wasn’t immediately clear if the suspension was served.