Chicago Police Officer Fired for Dragging Black Woman Out of Car by Her Hair

The Chicago Police Board voted to fire an officer accused of dragging a Black woman out of a car by her hair during unrest at a mall in 2020. The board found that the officer used excessive force and lied to investigators about the incident.

The Chicago Police Board voted unanimously on Thursday to fire Officer David Laskus, finding he used excessive force and lied to investigators about the incident, the Chicago Tribune reported. The incident in question occurred during unrest at a mall in 2020.

The Incident

On May 31, 2020, during a weekend of protests and unrest following the death of George Floyd, Mia Wright was a passenger in a car that arrived at the Brickyard Mall. Floyd was a Black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck. Wright and four relatives filed a federal lawsuit stating that they drove to the mall to go shopping and didn't realize it was closed due to the unrest.

The lawsuit alleged that officers surrounded their car, broke the windows with their batons, and pulled Wright out by her hair. Wright said she was left blind in one eye by flying glass caused by officers breaking the windows. Wright was 25 years old at the time.

The Investigation

The city's attorney has said that officers thought some members of Wright's group were trying to break into a store at the mall to steal goods. However, the police board noted that Laskus denied he pulled Wright by her hair when he spoke to investigators despite video evidence to the contrary.

The Aftermath

In March 2022, the City Council approved a USD 1.675 million settlement with Wright and the four others with her that day. Laskus was not criminally charged, but the police board voted to fire him. Laskus can appeal his firing in Cook County Circuit Court.

The Chicago Police Board's decision to fire Officer David Laskus sends a strong message that excessive force and lying to investigators will not be tolerated. The incident involving Mia Wright was a clear case of police brutality, and the board's decision to fire Laskus is a step in the right direction towards police accountability.