Chicago:
Relatives of a man fatally shot by Chicago police after gunshots were fired at an unmarked police car don’t believe he fired those shots and want to see police body camera footage of the incident. Miguel Vega, a 26-year-old father of two, was pronounced dead at a hospital hours after police shot him in the back of his head late Monday, his family said.
Chicago police said the shooting happened after shots were fired at officers as they were exiting their car, which was struck by gunfire. The officers were responding to a call of a suspicious person in the city’s Pilsen neighborhood when they noticed five people standing on the sidewalk and stopped, police said. Vega’s brother, Erik Vega, said he doesn’t believe his brother fired shots. He said his brother “was hanging out with people he grew up with” after work.
Vega’s family said he was the oldest of four children and lived with his parents in the suburb of Calumet City, although he grew up on the same block where he was shot. “We want to know what went down last night so we can fully understand and backup our stories or beliefs,” he told WGN-TV.
The family searched Tuesday for witnesses and surveillance video that may have captured the shooting. Vega’s mother, Maria Vega, said she wants “answers from the police and justice for my son” and wants to see body camera video.
“If my son was at fault, I’ll accept it, but it doesn’t make sense right now,” she told the Chicago Tribune. Two people were arrested and two others remained at large after Monday’s shooting. Police said a gun was recovered, but their preliminary statement did not include many details, including whether Vega was seen firing a gun or whether anyone else in the group was armed.
The initial police statement also did not say that the officers’ car was unmarked. The officers will be placed on routine administrative duties for 30 days.
Any videos of the shooting will be released through the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which is investigating. The city generally has 60 days to make relevant videos publicly available..
