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Officer in Laquan McDonald Shooting Faces New Charges

Van Dyke has already been charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of the 17-year-old

New charges have been filed against the Chicago police officer who fatally shot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in 2014, according to court documents released Thursday. 

Officer Jason Van Dyke is now facing 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, one charge for each shot fired at the teenager. 

Van Dyke has already been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of McDonald, which sparked nationwide protests after dashcam video appeared to show the teen walking away from authorities when he was killed. 

Attorneys for Van Dyke have previously filed motions to dismiss murder charges against the officer, saying a grand jury "hastily" indicted him based on false information and that the shooting was in fact "justified."

Van Dyke’s partner, Joseph Walsh, and Detective David March, whose account of McDonald’s shooting conflicted with the graphic dashcam video, were placed on “administrative status” in mid-December.

The case has lead to the suspension of numerous Chicago officers and the firing of Chicago's former police Supt. Garry McCarthy. 

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