Newly released Chicago police body-camera footage shows officers were briefly told to steer clear of an Oct. 4 confrontation between protesters and federal agents in Brighton Park after a Border Patrol agent shot a woman.
The heavily blurred videos, released Friday, confirmed the Sun-Times’ earlier reporting that Chicago Police Department officers were ordered not to respond “per the chief of patrol,” Jon Hein, which has since sparked an intense backlash.
These videos come after police officials earlier this month blocked the public release of body-camera and drone footage, saying it would hinder an internal investigation against Hein. Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling has previously defended Hein and said his officers were never told to “stand down.”
A police spokesperson said due to the large volume of recordings, the department is releasing videos “on a rolling basis” and using a generic redaction blur over the entirety of the footage. The spokesperson said the internal investigation continues.
Last month’s confrontation took place after a “convoy” of vehicles boxed in federal agents, and one car, driven by Marimar Martinez , collided with a federal vehicle, according to court records.
As agents jumped out, Martinez allegedly drove toward one of them, according to federal prosecutors. A Border Patrol agent fired roughly five times toward Martinez’s vehicle before she continued driving north on Kedzie.
Martinez now faces a federal assault charge and was released pending trial, along with Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, who was driving another vehicle in the “convoy.”
On body-camera videos, a dispatcher can be heard telling officers that federal agents are “being surrounded by a large crowd of people” and are “requesting CPD.” The dispatcher tells officers leaving the station to “immediately head down to 39th Place and Kedzie [Avenue]” and “go assist.”
“There are a lot of cars, so just use caution, please,” the dispatcher says.
Several minutes later, a lieutenant can be heard over the radio telling officers not to respond to 39th and Kedzie, “per the chief of patrol.”
Moments later, the dispatcher confirms, “We’re not sending anybody over to that location.”
An officer at the scene working on a traffic crash report says her team is “blocked in” but will get out as soon as they can.
“If you need resources, we’ll send you whatever you need,” the lieutenant tells the officer. And later, he tells the dispatcher: “Get them the information they need, and get them out of there.”
“Again, those are the orders we’re being given,” the lieutenant says.
In another video, several officers can be heard discussing the order.
“They are gonna do the car accident report, and we’re getting out of here,” one officer says. “He doesn’t want us hanging around here.”
A set of videos also shows an officer speaking with federal agents about the collision for the traffic accident report, before completing it and giving a copy to the agents. Whistling and shouting from protesters can be heard in the background.
“There’s call to protect and serve, CPD,” a protester can be heard shouting. “Shame on you.”
Hein’s order to clear the scene was ultimately countermanded, and Chicago police officers formed a line between federal agents and demonstrators.
Several of the body-camera videos captured protesters angry at what they thought was the CPD assisting federal agents. Police officials have repeatedly said Chicago police officers will not assist in federal immigration enforcement, which is barred by state and local laws.
In one video, protesters can be heard jeering at the officers and shouting expletives.
“I’m sorry for having a job,” one officer responds, adding they are here “for crowd control, that’s it.”
Later that afternoon, federal agents deployed tear gas and other riot-control munitions in the neighborhood before leaving. The tear gas injured more than two dozen Chicago police officers throughout the day.
Contributing: Tom Schuba