16 SHOTS: THE TRUTH

BY: PROVOKR Editors

In 2014 Black 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was fatally shot 16 times by Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke. The police initially declared McDonald’s shooting as justified, but a group of journalists and activists fought for footage of the fatal shooting to be released. In an effort to save face, the Chicago Police Department and local Government scrambled to cover up the senseless and unjustified killing. Rick Rowley’s documentary 16 Shots examines the tragic case of Laquan McDonald and the ensuing police coverup.

Brian Tallerico wrote this about the documentary: “16 Shots is a very deliberate, ominous documentary, filled with views of the Chicago skyline and a pulsing score, but Rowley makes several smart decisions as a storyteller. First, he presents both sides. McCarthy, Van Dyke’s attorney, Alvarez, and a few spokespeople for the FOP are on-hand to defend their actions and further elucidate on the difficulties faced by police officers in the ‘10s. This is an argument that I’ve personally never understood. One can believe that police officers have difficult, dangerous jobs, and also believe that one committed murder. They are not exclusive thoughts. And yet it’s clear that all of Van Dyke’s defenders see an attack on one cop as an attack on all cops. And yet they’re downright offended when the subject of a “Code of Silence” comes up. What’s most amazing is how people can see the video and come out with completely different reactions to it, and Rowley understands that this skewed, protective perception is at the root of so many of the problems between police officers and those they protect. Two people can watch someone be shot 16 times and have completely different reactions. How can we work together when that’s the case?”

You can watch 16 Shots for free this week on PROVOKR.