More bad news in chicago…Rahm better dust off his resume. I’ll be surprised if he lasts another term.
CNN)Two more shooting deaths by Chicago police are prompting swift action by the Mayor Rahm Emanuel, as well as by residents who want the mayor to go.
The latest upheaval came after Chicago police fatally shot Bettie Jones, 55, and Quintonio LeGrier, 19, while answering a call about a domestic disturbance.
Jones, a mother of five, shouldn’t have been shot, police say. She was “accidentally struck and tragically killed” by an officer.
Many question the shooting of LeGrier, who police say was combative. LeGrier’s family said he suffered from mental illness, CNN affiliate WLS reported.
On Sunday night, Emanuel ordered changes in how city police officers are trained to handle calls involving people who may have mental health problems.
“There are serious questions about yesterday’s shootings that must be answered in full by the Independent Police Review Authority’s investigation,” Emanuel said.
“While their investigation is underway, we must also make real changes within our police department today, and it is clear changes are needed to how officers respond to mental health crises.”
Emanuel, under fire for a series of fatal police shootings, directed the Chicago Police Department and the leaders of the Independent Police Review Authority to meet immediately to “determine the deficiencies in the current training, and determine what steps can be taken immediately to address them.”
On Monday, a member of Emanuel’s office announced the mayor would cut short a vacation in Cuba and arrive back in Chicago on Tuesday afternoon.
“He is cutting his family trip short so that he can continue the ongoing work of restoring accountability and trust in the Chicago Police Department,” Stephen Spector said in an email.
