2 Chicago Police Officers 'Relieved of Police Powers' After Fatal Shooting

CHICAGO, IL — Two Chicago Police officers were "relieved of their police powers" and assigned to administrative duties following the fatal shooting of an 18-year-old man in the South Shore community Thursday night.

An investigation indicates the two officers may have violated department policy in discharging their weapons, according to a statement from a Chicago Police spokesman.

Paul O'Neal was killed as he sped away from police and crashed a Jaguar convertible reported stolen from southwest suburban Bolingbrook.

An Independent Police Review Authority investigation is under way.

The shooting took place at 7:30 p.m. in the 7400 block of South Merrill after police tried to pull over the car and O'Neal sped away, sideswiping a police car. A 17-year-old boy was also in the car and taken into custody after the crash. Some of the officers involved sustained minor injuries during the incident.

The officers were wearing body cameras and the cameras were turned on, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. Three officers discharged their weapons but only two were re-assigned.

“This is going to be a very active investigation,” First Deputy Superintendent John Escalante told the Chicago Tribune from the scene. “It’s going to take a while to be able to view after downloading all the body camera footage as well as the in-car camera footage and whatever other video may be found during the canvass.”

Friends of O'Neal staged a candlelight vigil Friday night.