Father of Chicago's latest police shooting victim files lawsuit

A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Antonio LeGrier in the police shooting of his 19-year-old son Quintonio, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Quintonio, home on Christmas break from Northern Illinois University, was fatally shot on December 26, along with 55-year-old Bettie Jones, a neighbor, by an as-yet-unidentified Chicago police officer. The elder LeGrier called 911 saying his son was irate and in possession of a baseball bat. Bill Foutris, attorney for the elder LeGrier, says he called 911 because he wanted help in defusing the situation. “He certainly didn’t call to have his son shot and killed,” said Foutris.

The lawsuit alleges that police did not render aid to Quintonio after shooting him; that video showing a portion of the events that occurred has been confiscated by the city; and that the elder LeGrier was detained at the police station for several hours after his son was shot. The family of Bettie Jones, also killed, has not stated yet whether they will also be filing a lawsuit.

The killings are exactly what Chicago does not need right now, with a federal investigation freshly brewed and newly arrived in the city.

You know what else is not needed right about now? Black folks calling 911, that’s what. We simply have got to stop calling this number hoping that people will show up and help us with our loved ones. They don’t care about our loved ones; they will not help us with our loved ones; they will kill our loved ones.

The sooner we accept that truth, as we struggle throughout various corners of the country to bring about transparency and accountability and an end to state-sanctioned violence, the more energy we can focus on that task and securing the resources necessary for our loved ones who occasionally go through mental health episodes.