Protesters disrupt police board meeting

August 16, 2007 (WLS) -- Protesters disrupted Thursday night's Chicago Police Board meeting. They are angry about the shooting of 18-year-old Aaron Harrison. An officer killed him during a confrontation. Tension has been building between police and residents of the Lawndale neighborhood since last week's shooting. Board members ended the meeting early, claiming they were being harassed.

The tension on the West Side's Lawndale neighborhood spilled over, making its way all the way to the South Side police headquarters at 35th and Michigan. The regular police board meeting was disrupted and eventually adjourned when activists began shouting at board members.

"Our investigation right now is continuing. Pending the results of that I am unable to make a comment as to the status of that investigation," said Dana Starks, interim police superintendent.

Interim superintendent's Starks' inability to discuss the ongoing investigation intensified the frustration among several dozen people in the audience. They wanted details surrounding the August 6 shooting of 18-year-old Aaron Harrison by special operations officers.

"I would just like to know the name of the officer who gunned down my nephew. He shot him in the back," said Sabrina Johnson, victim's aunt.

The officers involved, who remain on duty, say Harrison ran away from them when they tried to question the teenager. One special operations officer claimed he opened fire after Harrison turned and pointed a 9mm pistol at his pursuers. One such handgun was recovered near the body.

Evidence in the case could include video recorded by nearby surveillance cameras.

"What happened to the tape that the camera that was on the side of the building? It disappeared," said Sabrina Johnson.

"That's why the superintendent opened up the night and explained it is under investigation. He can tell you again. He told you, there is a process," said Rev. Johnny Miller, police board member.

Starks also revealed Thursday night that Chicago Police have a second investigation under way into the shooting of Aaron Harrison. He said detectives are working separately from the Office of Professional Standards. Presumably those detectives are interviewing some of the same people and collecting the same evidence as OPS investigators. The department does not believe that to be a conflict of interest.

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