Contrary to the legal opinion expressed by a man in a new viral video, Chicago police can chase people. And a couple of men who allegedly ran from officers in the footage are learning that the hard way.
While CPD did announce a new 11-page foot chase policy last week, it will not take effect until the entire department is retrained, likely weeks or months from now. Oops.
The incident played out Tuesday in the 9000 block of South Morgan. And one bystander’s video clip quickly went viral on Instagram, racking up over 500,000 views as of Wednesday evening. Here it is, in case you missed it (NSFW language):
Here’s what prosecutors say happened.
Two officers were speaking with a driver during a traffic stop when Daniel Bray, apparently wearing a blue hat in the video, intervened and ignored officers’ orders to stay away, prosecutor Steven Haamid said. Bray tried to prevent the cops from detaining the driver and “pushed off” one of the cops a couple of times, Haamid continued.
When keys to the officers’ squad car fell to the ground, Bray allegedly picked them up. And that appears to be where the viral video begins.
Haamid said the driver ran away from the officers, who chased after him. The driver ran into a yard next to the bystanders as one screamed their ill-formed legal advice.
“We recording! We recording! Y’all can’t chase him! Y’all can’t chase him!”
As the second officer enters the yard, Bray allegedly tripped her from behind, causing her to slam onto the sidewalk. She suffered abrasions to her forearm, shin, and knee, Haamid said.
“Stop chasin’ people! Stop chasin’ people! Stop chasin’ people! Stop chasin’ people!” the bystander screamed.
After the video ended, the action continued.
Prosecutors say the driver returned to the scene, and the female officer grabbed him. As she and a backup unit tried to handcuff the driver, another man—Joshua Bray—allegedly tried to pull the female cop off the driver. The driver broke free and allegedly ran into a house where the Brays live.
Officers arrested both of the Brays.
Judge David Navarro reflected on the “volatile nature” of the incident.
“[This is] a situation where you have the police trying to place someone in custody. You have different individuals at different times interfering with that arrest. Fight with the police. The police have to give chase to one or both of you,” Navarro recalled. “Officers having been injured as a result of this.”
Joshua Bray is charged with two felony counts of aggravated battery of a peace officer and felony resisting. He has no criminal background, has three kids, and works in a hospital’s housekeeping department, his public defender said.
Daniel Bray, 31, is charged with aggravated battery of a peace officer and misdemeanor resisting. Prosecutors said he has a pending misdemeanor battery and resisting case, which stems from an incident in December on the same block, according to CPD records. According to his public defender, he has no kids and has worked for four years in retail merchandising.
Navarro set bail for each man at $25,000. That means they must post deposits of $2,500 to get out of jail.
Even after CPD’s foot chase policy goes into effect, officers will not be prohibited from pursuing people who are suspected of committing felonies, including the battery of police officers.
