What You Need to Know About the Police Killing of Harith 'Snoop' Augustus
Who: Harith “Snoop” Augustus, a 37-year-old barber who lived in the South Shore neighborhood of Chicago.
CPD murdered #HarithAugustus aka #Snoop. Snoop was a barber, a father and a friend. His co-worker Rev shared with us what #Snoop meant to his community. #StopTheCops pic.twitter.com/LLRlmwaQz9
— BYP100 (@BYP_100) July 15, 2018
When: Saturday July 14, 2018, at 5:31 p.m. CDT
Where: 2000 block of East 71st Street in Chicago, Illinois
What: An unnamed Chicago Police Department (CPD) probationary officer shot Augustus. He was taken to Jackson Park Hospital, where he was reportedly pronounced dead at 5:50 p.m.
From the department’s “preliminary statement,” which says the incident began because Augustus was "exhibiting characteristics of an armed person":
On Saturday July 14, 2018, at approximately 5:31 p.m., 3rd District Police Officers were on foot patrol in the vicinity of the 2000 block of East 71st St. The officers approached a male subject exhibiting characteristics of an armed person, when an armed confrontation ensued resulting in an officer discharging his weapon and fatally striking the offender. The offender was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced. A weapon was recovered at the scene. No other injuries were reported.
Witness Gloria Rainge told Chicago Sun-Times reporter Nader Issa what she saw:
Rainge said she was walking out of a nearby Walgreens store when she saw the officer tell Augustus not to sell loose cigarettes. When Augustus said he wasn’t, the argument escalated and the officer fired as he ran away, Rainge said.
Per the CPD statement, the use of force is currently being investigated by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), and the involved officer has been placed on 30-day administrative duty. COPA issued a request for video that can aid its investigation, and said that it is working with the Cook Country State's Attorneys Office, which will determine if criminal charges should be levied.
CPD Superintendent Eddie Johnson released body cam footage of the shooting on Sunday (July 15) “in the interest of transparency and to dispell [sic] inaccurate information,” per CPD spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi. The video does not contain audio; it zooms in and freezes on Augustus’ gun. Illinois is a concealed carry state. Johnson told press that Augustus had a valid firearm owner’s identification card, but did not have a concealed carry license. COPA is reportedly reviewing other body cam footage, and is not required to release it until 60 days after the shooting.
Video of confrontation between police and Mr. Augustus at 71st and Jeffery. pic.twitter.com/Qd9q9IXNdS
— Anthony Guglielmi (@AJGuglielmi) July 15, 2018
Issa writes that a crowd assembled within minutes, kicking off hours of protest that resulted in the arrest of several people.
A very large crowd is gathering at 71st/Chappel, where Chicago Police say they shot and killed a person this evening. It's hard to put in words how tense the scene is. Witnesses say a female officer shot the man in the back while he was running away. He was a local barber. pic.twitter.com/aaV6smY07V
— Nader Issa (@NaderDIssa) July 15, 2018
Witnesses say the incident started when the officer told him not to sell loose cigarettes. He supposedly told the officer he wasn't selling them, just handing a couple to his aunt. An argument started, and he began to run. That's when the officer fired, per police and witnesses.
— Nader Issa (@NaderDIssa) July 15, 2018
One elderly woman: "We ain't trying to hurt nobody. We just trying to live decent."
— Nader Issa (@NaderDIssa) July 15, 2018
Another woman: "We just want to live. Our black kids keep getting killed. We just want to live!"
The situation just severely escalated when Chicago Police officers moved their line forward. Officers hit multiple protestors with batons, and protesters punched officers back. I haven't seen a police shooting scene this tense since Laquon McDonald. pic.twitter.com/LfEnMP0k85
— Nader Issa (@NaderDIssa) July 15, 2018
Here's the rest of the escalation, including multiple Chicago Police officers on top of one man, hitting him, and then dragging another man. This is also the start of where I get shoved to the ground. That video is coming next. pic.twitter.com/AJ7t85nEHP
— Nader Issa (@NaderDIssa) July 15, 2018
Internet is bad so it's taking a minute for this video to upload, but Chicago Police just rushed the parking lot and started hitting people. I have my press badge on and identified myself as a reporter but I got shoved to the ground by two cops who smacked my phone out of my hand
— Nader Issa (@NaderDIssa) July 15, 2018
30-50 cops rushed and beat us with batons and threatened to shoot us because a few people threw water bottles at them after a cop shot a man 7x in the back. Rifles > water bottles. Also, cops lie. #StopsTheCops #DefundCPD https://t.co/ENagc2SACN
— BYP100 (@BYP_100) July 15, 2018
On Sunday, protesters assembled again for a march and moment of silence in front of the barber shop where Augustus worked.
A riveting group of South Shore protestors is marching down Jeffrey Avenue. Seems more people have jumped into the group along the way. There are various calls for people's jobs, from Mayor Rahm Emanuel to CPD Supt. Eddie Johnson. pic.twitter.com/aJUJZ86N4w
— Nader Issa (@NaderDIssa) July 15, 2018
The protestors stopped for a moment of silence in front of the barbershop where Harith Augustus worked. A few Chicago Police officers are walking and driving along with the group, but there generally hasn't been much tension this evening. pic.twitter.com/ESzzUd5TpW
— Nader Issa (@NaderDIssa) July 16, 2018
Speaking of Chicago Police rushing into the parking lot and hitting people with batons last night: "It wasn't until that last news crew left, until that last truck left, then they moved on us." This is true of TV news, at least. The trucks left a few minutes before the rush. pic.twitter.com/7T0VoPPgXL
— Nader Issa (@NaderDIssa) July 16, 2018
A young girl stares at a banner of faces of people killed by Chicago police officers pic.twitter.com/nURjL75qtI
— Colin B Photography (@colinbphoto) July 15, 2018