Dexter Reed, 26, was killed March 21 in a shootout with Chicago police.
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A man shot and killed by Chicago police during a traffic stop last month “fired first,” striking an officer before four others fired nearly 100 rounds, some after the man fell to the ground, oversight officials said Tuesday.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability did not say how many times Dexter Reed allegedly fired at the police but said the officers “returned fire approximately 96 times over a period of 41 seconds, including after Mr. Reed exited his vehicle and fell to the ground.”
The agency said it will “carefully review the actions of the involved police officers and their supervisors to determine whether training, policy and directives were properly followed.”
COPA said its investigators “have also provided briefings to the Cook County state’s attorney’s office, the FBI, the Department of Justice and sent a formal request to Supt. Larry Snelling recommending the Chicago Police Department relieve four officers of their police powers during the pendency of this investigation.”
Ald. Brian Hopkins (2nd), chairman of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee, said he’s been told the 26-year-old Reed fired 11 shots through his car window in what Hopkins called “an attempt to kill police officers.” An empty gun was recovered at the scene, Hopkins said.
“If we’re going to allow criminals to use deadly force without fear of deadly force being returned, what will that do to society?” Hopkins said. “He fired 11 rounds at these police officers before he was eventually killed. Period. What more do you need to talk about?”
Still, questions remained about the actions of the officers and the level of force used during the March 21 traffic stop in Humboldt Park.
On March 25, COPA said the gunfire erupted after five Harrison District officers pulled Reed over and approached his vehicle “while giving verbal commands.” The tactical officers, positioned on both sides of the vehicle, exchanged gunfire with Reed.
An officer was struck in the wrist and taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition. Reed suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital and pronounced dead, according to Chicago police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
Reed’s family members viewed footage of the shooting Monday afternoon with their attorney Andrew Stroth, whose civil rights firm has sued the city over other police shootings. Stroth declined to comment ahead of a news conference the family is planning to hold Tuesday afternoon outside COPA’s West Town offices.
Days after the shooting, the family sent a letter to Mayor Brandon Johnson and Chicago Police Supt. Larry Snelling saying they “still don’t know why Dexter was shot by these plainclothed police officers. What we do know, leaves us very troubled.”
On a GoFundMe page seeking donations to cover legal fees and funeral expenses, Reed’s sister said the family hadn’t seen evidence that Reed fired at police.
Basketball coaches remember man killed in shootout with Chicago police: ‘He let you know he had your back
In their letter to Johnson and Snelling, Reed’s family described him as a standout basketball player with dreams of becoming a sportscaster. Reed had led Westinghouse College Prep to a regional championship and later played basketball at Morton College in Cicero, the family said.
Reed, known as “Dex,” was remembered by his coaches as a team leader. Westinghouse head coach Rafie Fields, an assistant coach during Reed’s playing career, said he was “stunned and in disbelief” after learning of the shooting.
“What happened is very unfortunate,” Fields told the Sun-Times. “A lot of people are affected, of course Dexter’s family, as well as the Chicago police officer’s family and the Chicago police officers themselves. … It’s just an unfortunate situation [for] everyone involved.”
Prior to the shooting, Reed had been arrested twice in a matter of months and was awaiting trial in a pending gun case, according to Cook County court records.
He was first arrested on April 20, 2023, after allegedly walking out of the Saks Fifth Avenue along the Magnificent Mile while wearing a $950 shirt he hadn’t paid for, according to an arrest report. He was charged with a misdemeanor count of retail theft that was soon tossed out.
Then on July 13, 2023, he was arrested again when officers allegedly found him carrying a loaded handgun while entering the Windy City Smokeout music festival outside the United Center, an arrest report states. He had no concealed carry license, and his firearm owners identification card had been revoked.
After initially being charged with a felony count of unlawful use of a weapon, he was indicted on additional gun-related felonies, court records show. That case was pending when he was shot and killed.
Reed had previously worked for Monterrey Security, a politically connected firm with deep ties to the Chicago Police Department.
Monterrey’s top staff includes former high-ranking Chicago police officials Anthony Riccio, Bob Klich and Hiram Grau, who was also the director of the Illinois State Police. Fred Waller, a key adviser to Snelling who also served as interim superintendent, previously worked as Monterrey’s director of strategic initiatives.
Reed worked a range of assignments for Monterrey between May and December of 2019, most recently guarding Credit Union 1 Arena, formerly the UIC Pavilion. He was ultimately fired for “attendance issues,” Monterrey spokesman Steve Patterson said.
Reed’s visitation and funeral were last week.