COPA releases bodycam video of Reginald Clay Jr.'s Chicago police shooting death

The Chicago Civilian Office of Police Accountability released video Wednesday morning of the fatal police shooting of 24-year-old Reginald Clay Jr.

COPA released video and other materials of the shooting, which took place April 15 in the 3800-block of West Flournoy Street.

Clay's family spoke Tuesday night after viewing the Chicago police body camera video of the incident.

The family said the shooting was unjustified and devastating to watch.

"That's something hard to watch," father Reginald Clay Sr. said. "I feel like my heart ripped out of my chest when I saw it."

There is no sound because the first 30 seconds of bodycam video never has sound.

In the video, it is daytime, and the police foot chase proceeds quickly down a gangway.

The chase can be seen going up some stairs and around a corner, ending with the fatal encounter for Clay.

In a slower version of the same video, Clay is seen with a pistol.

Investigating authorities are examining the video to determine who did what and when and how it unfolded.

COPA has not yet made any conclusions.

The agency will eventually make determinations and release findings based on the videos, other documentation and statements. That is for another day.

The release of the video is part of the city's police transparency efforts.

It used to take months or years for these to be released. This just happened last month.

COPA said the incident began when two officers engaged a group of people in the area, and, as the officers got out of their vehicle, Clay began to walk away.

A foot chase began, and Clay ran into a gangway with no exit, COPA said.

He turned back to exit the gangway, in the direction of the officers, and one officer fatally shot him, COPA said.

Clay had a gun on him, which was recovered, COPA said.

Clay's family said the video shows he dropped the gun that he was legally licensed to carry during the foot chase with police in the Lawndale neighborhood on April 15.

Clay's family said he was meeting friends on the street before heading to a funeral that day when police pulled up.

Police said they were in the area to deescalate a gang conflict that day. They said Clay turned around at the end of the gangway and brandished a gun.