Coroner: Teen killed by police in Illinois shot in back

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Coroner: Teen killed by police in Illinois shot in back
| April 6, 2015 | Updated: April 6, 2015 4:55pm

ZION, Ill. (AP) — An autopsy has revealed that a teenager killed by a police officer in Illinois over the weekend was shot twice in the back, authorities said Monday.

Justus Howell was shot by Zion police on Saturday afternoon. Police say officers responding to a call about an altercation began chasing a male when he ran from the scene. They say that after the teen was shot, officers recovered a handgun.

The Lake County Coroner's Office said in a statement Monday that one bullet struck the 17-year-old in the left back and penetrated his heart, spleen and liver. Another bullet struck him on the right side of his back. Tests to determine whether drugs were in the victim's system are pending.

The Zion police chief didn't return calls Monday seeking comment about the autopsy results. Zion is a community of about 24,000 people along Lake Michigan about 45 miles north of Chicago, near Illinois' border with Wisconsin.


Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Police-Officer-fatally-shoots-teen-in-6180778.php

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. Howell was black and his relatives contacted the NAACP asking its officials to speak on their behalf

Howell was black and his relatives contacted the NAACP asking its officials to speak on their behalf, according to Lake County NAACP president Jennifer Witherspoon. She says Howell's relatives are hoping to find out exactly what happened as quickly as possible.

[SoCalMusicLover]

2. Running While Black

Gets ya killed every day of the week, including Sundays.

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

3. Funny, but I dont believe a word the cops say. The only reason we know he was shot in the

back is from the autopsy.

Wonder if the cops revealed he was shot in the back BEFORE the report was issued?

I am betting NO

[Dont call me Shirley]

4. Justus...

[drray23]

5. usual script

He had a weapon, I feared for my life, he reached for it, etc..

They say that after the teen was shot, officers recovered a handgun.

Wonder if that gun came from the squad car trunk or the kid that was shot.

[DesertDiamond]

9. And is that a valid excuse, since the kid was running away, not pointing it at them?

[drray23]

11. no its not.

That's my point. This looks like another one of those incidents where they shoot the black kid first yhen try to cover up with bs excuses.

[Cheese Sandwich]

6. This shit has to stop

There's a new one of these every other day it seems. It's a national crisis.

[qwlauren35]

7. Rather than just descend on Zion, let's look at the bigger picture.

Once again we have an "alleged criminal" being shot. The police will claim that it was justified. And they may get away with it. But it becomes part of the statistics that say that police are killing citizens - yes, criminals, alleged criminals and suspicious persons, but still CITIZENS! - at an alarming rate.

We have to help people see that criminals, alleged criminals and suspicious persons are still US citizens with constitutional rights. And that it is unacceptable to kill them when ANY other action is available. It is unacceptable to beat them, to kick them or otherwise harm them after they have been cuffed, or when they are on the ground.

Who is going to stand up and fight for this?

[DesertDiamond]

8. Do they test ALL murder victims for drugs? No, only if cops are the murderers.

[AndyTiedye]

10. Running from the Police is a Capital Offense that Merits Summary Execution on the Spot it Seems

Somehow I don't recall the Constitution being amended to permit that. Can't find it with google either.