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 Emanuel called in community leaders and pastors for meetings on
Monday aimed at preparing for public reaction to the video. The
footage from a patrol car dashboard camera is being released as a
result of a judicial order stemming from a lawsuit brought by a
freelance journalist.
Also on Monday, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the officer
involved would face criminal charges, citing unnamed sources. A
spokeswoman for the Cook County State's Attorney's office did not
respond to requests for comment.
The video shows Laquan McDonald, 17, being shot 16 times on Oct. 20
last year by police officer Jason Van Dyke, who is white. Van Dyke
is on administrative duty while state and federal prosecutors
investigate.
McDonald's death came at a time of heightened national scrutiny of
police use of lethal force, especially against black men. Protests
over police actions have rocked a number of U.S. cities over the
past year and a half.
 One pastor said the meeting he was in with the mayor was tense and
contentious and that church leaders were limited in what they could
do to temper reactions in minority communities with high crime and
strained relations with the police.
"I'm definitely concerned about people's outrage," said the Rev.
Corey Brooks of the New Beginnings Church on Chicago's south side.
"Many in my community feel betrayed, they are so very angry and
protests are imminent. It's clear from the meeting today that
Emanuel knows that," said the Rev. Ira Acree of the Greater St. John
Bible Church on the west side.
Emanuel spokeswoman Kelley Quinn described the meetings as an "open
dialogue to discuss the tragedy that took place last October, the
actions of the officer that remain under criminal investigation, and
the path forward for Chicago."
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The police union opposes release of the video, which will be
evidence if Van Dyke is charged.
"It'll be out there and people will see it dozens and dozens and
dozens of times. Then you have to go to that same population and
select a jury pool," said Dean Angelo, president of the Chicago
lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police.
Police have said McDonald had threatened them with a knife and
slashed at the tires and windshield of a patrol car. The video shows
him moving away from police at the time he was shot, said a lawyer
for McDonald's mother, who has seen the footage.
From 2008 to 2014, Chicago had an average of 50 fatal and non-fatal
police shootings a year, more than bigger cities like New York and
Los Angeles. Almost all the Chicago shootings were found to be
justified.
McDonald's family received a $5 million civil settlement from the
city of Chicago, even though family members had not filed a lawsuit.
(Additional reporting by Mary Wisniewski; Editing by Dan Grebler and
Peter Cooney)
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