In a tragic repeat of gun violence and police shootings, a 16-year-old Black teen has been shot and killed by a Chicago police officer this week. Police officials state that officers pulled over a car suspected of being involved in an earlier shooting. It was then that Pierre Loury, 16, bolted from the vehicle and police began a foot chase. Chicago Chief of Detectives Eugene Roy stated, “[Officers] attempted to stop the car, at which time the offender fled from the car, with one officer in pursuit. A foot pursuit ensued, during the course of that pursuit, it led to an armed confrontation between the offender and the officer, resulting in the officer firing shots with his service weapon, striking the offender.”
Loury was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and pronounced dead from a single gunshot wound to the chest. No officers were injured in the deadly encounter and police have stated they recovered a gun at the crime scene they believe belonged to the teen suspect. Family members are deeply saddened and shocked at the killing of the teen and have disputed the claims by police that the teen had a gun. Many have stated that the teen had brushes with law enforcement in the past but nothing serious. Protesters gathered at the scene for a candlelight vigil in memory of the teen. Among those in attendance were members of Black Lives Matter Chicago and the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. At least 100 protesters chanted “Justice for Pierre” and “Black Lives Matter” as they carried signs against police violence in the Black community and listed the names of those killed by Chicago police. The crowd blocked traffic on the busy street and police arrested two protesters. The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on routine administrative leave while the incident is being investigated.
