Officers Melvina Bogard, Bernard Butler Should Be Fired From Chicago Police Department, Supt. Brown Says
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Two Chicago Police Officers who used a Taser weapon and shot a man at a CTA subway station last year should be fired for violating multiple department policies, Supt. David Brown has ruled.
The two officers – Melvina Bogard and Bernard Butler – got into the altercation at the Grand Avenue stop on the Chicago Transit Authority's Red Line in February, 2020 after the officers tried to stop Ariel Roman from moving between train cars.
Bogard violated department rules for deploying her Taser weapon and then shooting Roman, which Brown said was unnecessary because Roman posed no deadly threat to her or anybody else. Butler also violated department rules on using his Taser weapon and failed to use approved de-escalation techniques to arrest Roman, Brown said. Butler was also cited for placing Roman in danger for grabbing him on the edge of the subway platform.
Brown concluded that both officers should be fired. That final decision is up to the Police Board, which will hold hearings on the case.
The charges of resisting arrest and criminal narcotics against Roman were dropped
Video posted on social media shows two officers attempting to handcuff Roman on the train platform. In the video, an officer is heard yelling for Roman to "stop resisting" – something the officer screamed more than 10 times.
The officers then both deploy their Taser weapon. But Roman breaks free, staggers to his feet and appears to wipe his face, apparently from pepper spray.
One of the officers then steps back and pulls her weapon and yells, "Sir, put your hands down!" The second the officers yells, "Shoot him!"
Seconds later, the female officer, Bogard, draws her weapon, and when Roman walks away from the wall while rubbing his face, a first shot rings out.
After that shot was fired, Roman runs up the escalator. Both officers pursue him. After Roman reaches the top of the escalator, another shot is heard off camera. One of Taser weapons is also seen on the escalator stairs.
Another video on social media shows Roman lying at the top of the escalator unresponsive. Roman was hospitalized for injuries sustained in the altercation.