A "grid search" Thursday morning failed to uncover a weapon following the fatal police shooting of a 19-year-old man in Chicago. The man, identified by the Chicago Tribune as Kajuan Raye, was reportedly shot and killed by a sergeant responding to a battery call in the Englewood District. The sergeant told investigators Raye had "turned and pointed" a weapon twice during a foot pursuit, but no such weapon has been found.
"We were not able to locate a weapon yet," Chicago Police Supt. Eddie Johnson said during a brief press conference Thursday afternoon, noting that authorities are currently "missing information" of some kind. "There are still many unanswered questions." Johnson also told the Tribune and other reporters that a "complete synopsis" of the shooting hasn't been reached and that "a lot of investigating" must now take place.
Raye's family, including cousin Ahkeya White, have disputed the police department’s timeline. "They are saying that it was, you know, a battery, but if that's the case, the police officer showed up, it was only one person in the car," White told the Tribune. "If they are responding to a call, why is it only one person in the car? Then you pull up to the bus stop. So something is off and we need answers."
Activists are now demanding answers, calling for a greater move toward transparency within the department and beyond:
The Independent Police Review Authority is now investigating Raye's death.