Peoria police ‘committed to transparency’ releases footage of downtown clash

Finding videos takes time and effort, keep me motivated by donating to https://paypal.me/thisisbutter
-----
Peoria, IL - Peoria’s police chief said he’s releasing “complete” body-worn camera and video footage following a downtown shooting late last month when officers were confronted with an unruly crowd, and after civil liberties activists accused his officers of using excessive force.

Chief Eric Echevarria said he’s releasing the videos “in the interest of complete transparency.”

The videos being released show the sequence of events as they happened shortly before 5 a.m. on Sept. 28, but limited portions are edited to “protect personal privacy, sensitive information, and to preserve the integrity of the ongoing the investigation,” said the chief.

The video shows a bloody scene as officers provide emergency medical care to a man critically wounded with a gunshot to the chest, but the victim’s face can’t be seen.

Bodycam footage includes police pleading with the crowd to back off. In one case, a woman responded, “I’m his momma!”

In addition to the suspected shooter, five people are charged with felonies for interfering with police. One of the suspects is accused of trying to disarm an officer, while another is charged with criminal damage to government property for allegedly breaking the door handle of a police car.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois and its Peoria chapter, in a statement released Oct. 2, called for an independent investigation of the officers’ actions. The ACLU said a video circulating online show officers using force, including kneeling on someone’s back or neck.

The organization questions whether police used any de-escalation techniques.

“The video available to the public raises serious questions as to whether these police officers were in compliance with the state law and department use of force policy,” the ACLU said.

Despite the criticism, Mayor Rita Ali said she’s backing the police, calling the crowd’s actions not only unacceptable, but also an attack on public safety and the community’s values.