Police Narrative Doesn't Mention Cop Shot Man At Red Line Station

CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot was right when she said the "disturbing" Twitter video of a police officer shoot an unarmed man at the CTA Red Line stop at Grand and State might not provide a complete picture of what happened that day.

On Wednesday, I got a copy of the police reports through a Freedom of Information request. As things turn out, the official narrative of the police shooting of accused train-car jumper Ariel Roman includes details that you didn't see on the Twitter video — and leaves out some details.

The arrest report, which lists 10 police officers, a detective and a supervisor responsible for the "narrative," documents injuries suffered by "victim officers" when the 33 year-old man resisted arrest for violating a city ordinance banning moving between CTA train cars.

Officer Melvina Bogard had cuts on her hands and "swollen lacerated lip." Officer Bernard Butler wound up with lacerated hands, a bruised nose and a swollen knee while struggling with Roman, according to the report. They were both taken to the hospital for their injuries.

The police report narrative skips over the part where Bogard shot Roman twice, which we know happened because video of the shooting went viral on Twitter. The official police narrative describes what happened this way: "The offender was subsequently placed in custody and transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital for injuries he received during the physical altercation with the victim officers."

A separate report does note that Roman suffered a "serious" injury — specifically, a "gunshot wound." The weapon used, according to the report related to Roman's attempt to "resist/ obstruct/ disarm" officers, was described as a "Firearm (Type Unknown)."

Now, I'm not a detective, but after watching the Twitter video it seemed pretty clear a more accurate description of the weapon would have been whatever type of pistol Officer Bogard was shooting that day.

The first page of the arrest report marked "Final Approval" lists the allegations against Roman including jumping between train cars, two counts of resisting arrest, possession of a controlled substance, possession of more than a legal amount of marijuana and manufacturing or delivering cannabis.

On the second page, typed in all capital letters, the report states, "NO NARCOTICS RECOVERED."

Farther down in the report, in the arrest narrative, police said a "custodial search of the victim's backpack" turned up marijuana, and described the packaging in great detail, including:

* A "Planter's Peanut jar with a blue lid containing suspect cannabis"

* A "Planter's Peanut jar with an orange lid containing suspect cannabis"

* "Two large, clear plastic zip-lock bags, each containing individually wrapped plastic bags containing suspect cannabis."

* "Two black plastic film containers each containing suspect cannabis"

* "One digital scale"

* "An unknown amount of empty plastic bags."

Maybe there was a mixup. Everywhere else in the report Roman was listed as a "suspect." Police officers Bogard and Butler were listed as victims.

The arrest report also states that "subsequent to his arrest," officers found "one black plastic film container containing a white powder substance, suspect cocaine" in Roman's "left inner jacket pocket." Roman also had a "non-serviceable warrant" and was listed as being affiliated with the Spanish Gangster Disciple street gang, according to the police report.

Those are all interesting details that the public didn't see on the viral video.

Interim police Supt. Charles Beck, for some reason, asked Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx to drop all charges against Roman, who probably could have avoided getting shot by complying with the arresting officers. Fox agreed, a move that perhaps suggests that nobody involved in Roman's arrest acted appropriately.

A FOIA request for additional reports about the shooting was denied due to the ongoing Chicago Office of Police Accountability investigation, which has already resulted in Bogard and Butler being stripped of their police powers. I also asked for Supt. Beck's email correspondence related to the shooting to get an idea of how quickly he asked Foxx to drop the charges after reading the report. But that FOIA request also was denied on the grounds that doing so would be "unduly burdensome."

The denials are typical. For generations, city government has used the same excuses to keep police-involved shooting reports and videos secret — citing union contract provisions, exceptions to state laws, city ordinances and the age-old favorite, protecting the integrity of active investigations.

This time, thanks to a viral Twitter video captured by a citizen, Chicagoans got more than just the police version of what happened. And city officials responded with actions that seemed appropriate and in a reasonable amount of time given that a cop shot an unarmed man running away from her in a busy subway station.

Details missing from police reports that public only knows about from a viral Twitter video offer a pretty compelling argument to change the current policy forcing Chicagoans to wait 60 days — unless there's a request to keep them secret longer – to see video of police involved shootings.

Last week, I asked Lightfoot's administration if seeing how the Twitter video lead to swift action from Chicago's top cop and COPA would inspire more immediate transparency.

City Hall offered a disappointing response: "There are currently no plans to make any changes to COPA's video release policy."

Whatever happened to that catchy Lightfoot campaign slogan, "It's time to bring in the light?"

Mark Konkol, recipient of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for local reporting and Emmy-nominated producer, was a producer, writer and narrator for the "Chicagoland" docu-series on CNN. He was a consulting producer on the Showtime documentary, "16 Shots."

More Chicago Stories from Mark Konkol:

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• Sun-Times Owners Give $225,000 More To Kim Foxx, $975,000 Total
• Blago Warns Taxpayers Of Pritzker's $7 Million Deal With Madigan
• Calumet Bakery Crew Worked 24-Hour Shifts to Make 42,000 Paczki
• 4 Pols Shaming Chicago: Pritzker, Rahm, Blago and Kim Foxx
• Pritzker Follows Up Phony Blago Outrage By Dodging Questions
• When Blago Gets Home Let's Talk About Calls He Got From Pritzker
• Mayor Releases Koschman, Markham Investigative Reports: EXCLUSIVE
• Lightfoot Administration May Add Ex-Con Pols To Hiring Blacklist
• City Hall 'Do Not Rehire' List Omits Chicago Hall of Shamers
• Don't Quit, Kim! Let Voters Express Facebook Outrage Election Day
• 750,000 Reasons Sun-Times' Kim Foxx Endorsement Shouldn't Shock