Oak Lawn Cops Defend Use of Force, Release Dash-Cam Video of Teen's Arrest

OAK LAWN, IL — Chief Dan Vittorio defended his police officers’ use of force after a citizen video surfaced showing three officers repeatedly punching a 17-year-old boy’s body and head after police say he fled a traffic stop. Police said the teen was later found to be carrying a loaded semi-automatic gun.

Vittorio read from a more detailed statement at a news conference in village hall following a protest from angry Arab American residents, who claim they are profiled and criminalized by the Oak Lawn Police Department.

Related: Protesters Decry Video Of Oak Lawn Police Beating Arab American Teen

According to the statement, an Oak Lawn patrol officer observed a car in the 9500 block of Austin Avenue that had no front registration around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. The officer made a U-turn and started following the car, from which the odor of burnt cannabis could be smelled wafting from the windows. (Story continues after video.)

Dash-cam video showing arrest of 17-year-old boy and OLPD use of force

Vittorio also shared the police dash-cam video of the initial traffic stop in a parking lot near 95th Street and Southwest Highway. The dash-cam video showed a different angle from the citizen’s video. In the video, police could be heard asking the driver to step out of the car. The driver was patted down.

The back seat passenger — the 17-year-old boy — was also asked to exit the vehicle. The teen emerged with a black accessory bag slung over his shoulder. Officers told the teen to put his hands on the car, so he could be searched. Police can be heard in the video asking the teen if he had “anything crazy” before patting him down, then the teen took off running.

Eventually, the teen was apprehended near 95th Street and McVicker Avenue, where police had the boy restrained on his stomach, who officers claim was resisting arrest.

“Fearing that he was reaching for a weapon in the bag, the officers attempted to physically gain control of his hands. He would not comply and continued to attempt to access the bag, The offender was then drive stunned [tasered] and taken into custody,” Vittorio read from the statement.

Vittorio paused the dash-cam video, to call attention to the “pressure points” the two officers applied to the teen’s ear.

“You can see the subject’s right hand,” the chief said. “He [the teen] maintains constant control of the bag. He’s not releasing that bag as they’re giving him commands. He’s still trying to gain access to the bag.”

When the officers’ use of force accelerated, Vittorio said that once they feared for their safety, “it turned into a deadly force incident.”

Toward the end of the dash-cam video, the audio went out. Vittorio did not know why the audio had been edited out. The chief also said that Oak Lawn police officers do not wear body cameras.

The chief admitted that the officers didn’t know what was in the bag, but “by the way the teen ran and initially went for the bag” led officers to believe that a weapon might be in the bag. After the teen was tased, officers were able to handcuff him. The video also showed officers pulling a Raven Arms P25 .25-caliber gun out of the teen’s bag. Police said the gun was loaded with three rounds of ammunition.

An Oak Lawn police officer was injured during the take-down. He and the teen were both taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center. The officer was released after midnight, but had a follow-up doctor appointment Thursday. Vittorio did not know the nature or extent of the officer’s injuries, nor where in the video he was injuries, because he hadn’t had a chance to speak to the officer.

Currently, there are no plans to place the officers on administrative leave; one officer was back on the job Thursday, Vittorio said. An internal police investigation is being conducted.

The chief also said he was unaware of any tensions between Oak Lawn police and the Arab American community.

“I have known of no issue with Arab American community. We’re a diverse community,” Vittorio said. “There have been no protests since the summer of George Floyd.”

The three officers shown in the dash-cam and citizen’s videos are all veteran police officers, with 6, 12 and 15 years of experience. The 12-year officer is a field training officer.

“What concerns me is a [17-year-old] running around with a gun,” Vittorio said.

The police chief said the teen would be charged, but Cook County’s juvenile division requires police to interview juveniles in person before charges are filed. Police have not had a chance to interview the teen because he is still hospitalized.