FILE - In this Feb. 10, 2017 file photo, Lanisha Taylor, sister of Chad Robertson speaks to the media during a press conference conference at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital in Chicago. Chad Robertson was shot by an Amtrak police officer on Feb. 8 outside Union Station in Chicago. The Cook County State's Attorney's office announced Friday, Feb. 17, that the officer, LaRoyce Tankson has been charged with first-degree murder after Robertson, died Wednesday. (Ting Shen /Chicago Tribune via AP, File)
Republished February 17, 2017 - 1:40 PM
Original Publication Date February 17, 2017 - 9:40 AM
CHICAGO - An Amtrak police officer charged in the shooting death of an unarmed Minneapolis man outside Chicago's Union Station was ordered held on $250,000 bail Friday.
LaRoyce Tankson, 31, is charged with first-degree murder in the Feb. 8 shooting of 25-year-old Chad Robertson, who died Wednesday, the Cook County state's attorney's office said.
Robertson was taking a bus from Memphis, Tennessee, to Minneapolis and was on a stopover in Chicago when the shooting occurred. Robertson and two friends went to Union Station to stay warm while they waited for their onward bus. But two officers confronted them, so the three friends got up to leave, according to Robertson's sister, Nina Robertson,.
The officers confronted them again outside the station and accused one of them of smoking marijuana. An officer searched the men and when he put his hands in Robertson's pockets, he ran, the sister said. That's when one of the officers opened fire. Chicago police say they found cash and narcotics on Robertson, but no weapon.
Tankson's attorney, Will Fahy, said Friday that Tankson saw Robertson turn and reach for what the officer thought was a gun. Fahy said Tankson "reasonably believed he was about to be shot." Fahy said Tankson is a father of three and is married to a firefighter.
Robertson was black, as is the officer.
Robertson's family said outside court Friday that they were upset with the bail amount set by the Cook County judge.
"It should have been millions," Robertson's father, Leroy Taylor, said.
Robertson's family attorney on Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit against the then-unknown officer and Amtrak seeking compensatory and punitive damages for the shooting.
The lawsuit described Tankson and another officer as disrespectful and aggressive and said they used profanity. Robertson "feared for his life," according to the lawsuit.
Amtrak officials said they are co-operating with Chicago police and prosecutors but that they can't comment further. Amtrak has put the officers involved on administrative assignment.
Civil rights activist Mel Reeves said the charges filed against the officer indicate "something went wrong severely that night. That clearly (the officer) had no reason to shoot Chad Robertson."
News from © The Associated Press, 2017