City Council has approved a $5 million settlement in the death of a teenager who was shot by a police officer 16 times last October.
The council approved the amount for 17-year-old Laquan McDonald's family without discussion or dissent during its Wednesday meeting.
McDonald was fatally shot as police said he wielded a knife. He allegedly lunged at an officer after slashing the tire of at least one squad car during a confrontation with police on Oct. 20, 2014. Police said they wanted to talk to McDonald about attempted car break-ins near 40th Street and Karlov Avenue.
An autopsy showed that McDonald was shot 16 times in the chest, neck, back, arms and right leg. He was pronounced dead at Mount Sinai Hospital an hour after the shooting.
The settlement comes after federal authorities confirmed the FBI is conducting a criminal investigation into the shooting. Aldermen voted without seeing police dashboard camera video, saying they didn't need to view footage of the incident.
The family's attorney has said a "fair and prompt resolution" was reached without the necessity of litigation.
Police say the unidentified officer who shot McDonald has been stripped of his police powers and put on paid desk duty.
