Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez on Thursday said she has asked the FBI to assist an investigation into a recent police-involved shooting where officers accidentally shot and killed a 55-year-old mother of five in Chicago.
"This is a deeply disturbing incident that demands a very deliberate and meticulous independent investigation," Alvarez said in a statement. "At this stage, the investigation is being conducted by IPRA, but my office has also contacted the FBI to request their involvement as well."
Last weekend, police shot and killed a 19-year-old Northern Illinois University student and his 55-year-old neighbor, Bettie Jones.
Police have admitted Jones’ shooting was an accident, saying she was tragically killed while officers were responding to a domestic disturbance call on the city’s West Side. Quintonio LeGrier was also killed in the shooting after allegedly threatening his father with a metal baseball bat.
Police and Mayor Rahm Emanuel have said little about what happened the night of the shooting, citing the ongoing investigation by the city's Independent Police Review Authority.
The shooting has prompted the police department to implement a series of new policies and regulations this week and forced Emanuel to cut his family trip to Cuba short.
The changes include new police training on “de-escalation tactics” and a requirement that every beat car responding to calls be equipped with a Taser.
In addition, all Chicago police officers who have fired their weapons will be placed on administrative duty, away from the field, for at least 30 days while authorities investigate their training and fitness for duty.
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The city has also called on Interim Police Supt. John Escalante and the head of Chicago's Independent Police Review Authority, Sharon Fairley, to review the department's crisis intervention and de-escalation policies.
