Oct 5, 2018

Officer in Laquan McDonald shooting found guilty of murder

Jason Van Dyke. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke has been found guilty of second degree murder in the shooting of Chicago teenager Laquan McDonald.

Why it matters: McDonald's shooting in 2014 was highlighted as part of a trend of fatal police shootings of black men that sparked waves of protests throughout the country and also prompted an investigation from the Department of Justice, as well as new department initiatives.

The Details: The prosecution argued that Van Dyke shooting McDonald 16 times was "completely unnecessary" and focused on the shots that hit McDonald as he laid on the ground.

Van Dyke testified that he and McDonald never lost eye contact and waved his knife at him and said he feared officers on the scene were under attack.

The backdrop: McDonald was shot 16 times by Van Dyke just seconds after he arrived on the scene after hearing dispatch reports of someone breaking into vehicles of in a trucking yard. Dashcam footage showed McDonald moving away from officers, contradicting Van Dyke's testimony.

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Media tycoon Jimmy Lai at the Next Digital offices in Hong Kong in June. Photo: Anthony Wallace/AFP via Getty Images

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Why it matters: He was arrested under the new national security law that gives Beijing more powers over the former British colony. Lai is the most prominent person arrested under the law, which prompted the U.S. to sanction Chinese officials, including Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam, over Beijing's efforts to strip the territory of its autonomy.

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Why it matters: It's the lowest single-day positive rate since the start of the pandemic. It's another sign that the state that was once a global coronavirus epicenter is curbing the spread of the virus. "Our daily numbers remain low and steady, despite increasing infection rates across the country, and even in our region," Cuomo said in a statement. "But we must not become complacent: Everyone should continue to wear their masks and socially distance."

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