Denzel Ford, a 19-year-old Black male, was shot and killed by a Chicago police officer on September 15, 2014, during a narcotics investigation in West Town. Police reports say officers tried to apprehend Ford while he sat in a car; he allegedly refused to exit and drove the vehicle into an officer, knocking that officer to the ground. When Ford twice attempted to accelerate toward the officer on the ground, a second officer opened fire, striking Ford multiple times in the upper body. He was taken to Stroger Hospital in critical condition and later died there.

The shooting prompted protests and calls for accountability. Ford’s father, Ricky Ford, said his son was unarmed and questioned whether the shooting was necessary. The Independent Police Review Authority opened an investigation into the officers’ use of force. Community activists organized rallies and demanded greater transparency and reforms to address police violence in Black neighborhoods.

Does anyone have first-hand information about the events in West Town on September 15, 2014, or about witnesses who have not yet been heard?