In a case that has intensified debates over racial profiling and excessive police force, the family of Dexter Reed will receive a $1.25 million settlement following his death during a chaotic traffic stop on Chicago’s West Side last March. Reed, a 26-year-old Black man, was shot 13 times after plainclothes officers fired 96 rounds within 41 seconds. The fatal encounter, which began with what police initially claimed was a seatbelt violation, has drawn national attention.
The March 21 traffic stop, carried out by a group of officers in an unmarked car, began when they cut off Reed’s SUV at an intersection in the Humboldt Park neighborhood. Police later changed their justification for the stop, claiming Reed’s tinted windows were too dark. Bystander and bodycam footage shows officers in casual clothing, with guns drawn, surrounding Reed’s vehicle and yelling conflicting orders. Moments later, shots rang out as Reed exited his car with his hands raised, only to be fatally struck by police gunfire.
Reed’s family alleges the stop was pretextual, a tactic used by police to disproportionately target Black residents under the guise of minor infractions. Their lawsuit accuses the Chicago Police Department of escalating the encounter and ignoring Reed as he lay bleeding. “This case is about an unlawful and violent escalatory traffic stop,” said family attorney Andrew Stroth. “It fits a pattern of discriminatory stops in Chicago that cost the city millions of dollars in settlements.”
Chicago police faced scrutiny as details emerged showing the five officers involved—Alexandra Giampapa, Thomas Spanos, Victor Pacheco, Gregory Saint Louis, and Aubrey Webb—had a history of citizen complaints and questionable stops. In the three days leading up to Reed’s death, the group pulled over 50 cars without issuing a single ticket. Giampapa resigned months later, taking a position at an Ohio police department.
Community members expressed anger and mistrust toward police following the settlement announcement, echoing long-standing concerns about over-policing and intimidation in predominantly Black neighborhoods. “They are not serving and protecting us anymore,” said Angie Smith, a Humboldt Park resident. “It seems like they’re here just to hit a quota.”
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