Rep. Robin Kelly Calls for Police Reform a Decade after Murder of Laquan McDonald

CHICAGO - Today, Congresswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02) released the following statement honoring the life of Laquan McDonald a decade after he was shot and killed by a police officer in Chicago:

"Laquan McDonald should still be alive today. Ten years ago, his life was unjustly stolen when he was fatally shot 16 times in the back by a Chicago police officer. When the dash cam video was released over a year after Laquan was murdered, it exposed the police department's lies and cover-ups. It reaffirmed the experiences of so many Black communities across the country - that police officers saw Black people, even a 17-year-old teenager walking away, as a threat.

"Police reform advocates and lawmakers, including myself, pushed for change in the city and in the country. But change has not been quick enough. While Laquan McDonald's murder shook the nation's conscience, we have still had to grieve the deaths of George Floyd, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, and so many more who should still be with us today.

"I will never forget their names. I advocated and helped pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act - twice - in the House of Representatives. We worked with civil rights advocates, law enforcement stakeholders, and the Department of Justice to form the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and create structural change. A decade after the death of Laquan McDonald, we cannot let another American be deprived of his or her humanity, dignity, and constitutional rights without taking action."