Chicago mayor: It's up to the justice system to hold Officer Jason Van Dyke accountable



CHICAGO -- Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says it's up to the justice system to hold Officer Jason Van Dyke accountable.

Emanuel released a statement Tuesday after Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder in the death of Laquan McDonald, a black 17-year-old who was shot 16 times.

Emanuel's statement says Van Dyke's "actions violated ... the moral standards that bind our community together." The mayor says the officer's actions "are in no way a reflection of the dedication and professionalism that our police officers exemplify every day and that our residents expect throughout our city."

Jason Van Dyke



The Chicago Police Department released the dash cam video of this 2014 incident on YouTube Tuesday evening. IMPORTANT: The video is graphic -- viewer discretion is strongly advised. CLICK HERE to view the video.

The officials spent the first several minutes of a news conference early Tuesday evening to ask residents to be peaceful in their protests and to lay out plans for policing the city should demonstrations escalate.

Meanwhile,  the family of McDonald is calling for calm.

Lawyers issued a statement Tuesday on behalf of Laquan McDonald's family. It came hours after Officer Jason Van Dyke was charged with first-degree murder in the death of the teen, who was shot 16 times.

The statement says, "No one understands the anger more than us but if you choose to speak out, we urge you to be peaceful." It adds, "Don't resort to violence in Laquan's name."

City officials and community leaders have been bracing for its release, fearing an outbreak of unrest and demonstrations.