Cook County Declines Charges in Chicago Police Killing of Dexter Reed

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said Wednesday it will not bring criminal charges against four Chicago Police Department officers who fatally shot Dexter Reed during a traffic stop on March 21, 2024. In a 25-page memo, prosecutors concluded that “evidence is insufficient” to rebut the officers’ claim that they acted in self-defense after Reed fired first. Investigators found that Reed, 26, discharged 11 rounds and struck Officer Gregory Saint Louis in the wrist before officers Thomas Spanos, Alexandra Giampapa, Victor Pacheco and Aubrey Webb returned fire, releasing 96 shots in 41 seconds. Reed was hit 13 times and died at Mt. Sinai Hospital. The shooting, which began with a seat-belt violation stop in Chicago’s West Garfield Park neighborhood, prompted protests and a civil-rights lawsuit that the city sought to settle for $1.25 million—a payout the City Council Finance Committee rejected earlier this year. Wednesday’s decision ends the criminal inquiry, though an independent appellate review affirmed the findings and the Civilian Office of Police Accountability continues its administrative investigation.