Uncategorized

Families Decry Fatal Chicago Police Shooting of Two

Published

10 years ago

December 29, 2015

By Stephen A. Crockett Jr., The Root

When police arrived in the West Garfield Park neighborhood in Chicago early Saturday morning, they encountered Quintonio LeGrier, 19, reportedly wielding an aluminum bat, and Bettie Jones, a 55-year-old mother of five. Within minutes, LeGrier and Jones had been fatally shot, and now their family and friends want answers.

Bettie Jones received a call early Saturday morning asking if she could help police gain access to her building. According to ABC 7 Chicago, Jones’ neighbor, Quintonio LeGrier, was wielding a bat and acting erratically, so his father called police and then called downstairs to ask if Jones could open the front door to let in the cops.

Shortly after police arrived, both LeGrier and Jones were fatally shot.

Police say Jones was shot accidentally, but family and friends of both Jones and LeGrier are struggling to understand why deadly force was necessary in the first place; an incident that leaves many wondering if this most recent shooting is part of a culture of aggressive and deadly policing when it comes to black communities.

“What about the Tasers?” Jacqueline Walker, a friend of Jones said of LeGrier on CNN. “Taser him down, don’t start shooting people, innocent people.”

Police say they received a call early Saturday about a domestic dispute and that when they arrived, LeGrier began charging toward them holding an aluminum bat. Police opened fire, hitting both LeGrier and Jones.

The Cook County Medical Examiner told CNN Sunday that Jones died of a gunshot wound to the chest and LeGrier died of multiple gunshot wounds.

The medical examiner ruled both deaths homicides, CNN reports. Authorities have not released many details in the shooting, and it was unknown whether video of the incident exists.

According to ABC, LeGrier was a Northern Illinois University student who, according to his mother, struggled with mental illness, but was not violent. LeGrier was an honor student who sent his mom inspirational quotes each day, ABC reports.

“I used to watch the news daily and grieve for other mothers and family members,” LeGrier’s mother told ABC. “Today, I am grieving myself. When does it end? … No mother should have to bury her child, especially under these circumstances.”

Jahmal Cole, who identified himself as Jones’ nephew, told CNN that his aunt, a mother of five and grandmother who worked as a baker, had a right to open her door without fear of being shot.

“She should not have had to open her door and be shot down by a Chicago police officer,” Cole said during a Sunday press conference, ABC reports.

“What happened should matter to everyone,” Cole declared. “Everyone was celebrating Christmas like any other family. She should not have to be shot down just coming to the door. Your family does not want to wake up to news like this.”

The shooting comes only weeks after protests that demanded Chicago police release video footage showing Chicago Police Officer Jason Van Dyke fatally shooting 17-year-old Laquan McDonald in October 2014. Van Dyke has been charged with murder and is currently awaiting trial.

On Sunday, Jones’ and LeGrier’s family members demanded accountability from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the police department.

Emanuel, who is on vacation in Cuba, issued a statement a day after the shooting, noting that changes must be made in how police respond to mental-health situations.

“There are serious questions about yesterday’s shootings that must be answered in full by the Independent Police Review Authority’s investigation,” Emanuel said, CNN reports.

“While their investigation is underway, we must also make real changes within our police department today, and it is clear changes are needed to how officers respond to mental-health crises.”

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Uncategorized

Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

Published

6 months ago

June 17, 2025

Oakland Post

Special to The Post

The City of Oakland’s Housing and Community Development Department (Oakland HCD) announced its awardees for the 2024-2025 New Construction of Multifamily Affordable Housing Notice of Funding Availability (New Construction NOFA) today Five permanently affordable housing developments received awards out of 24 applications received by the Department, with award amounts ranging from $7 million to $28 million.

In a statement released on Jan. 16, Oakland’s HCD stated, “Five New Construction Multifamily Affordable Housing Development projects awarded a total of $80.5 million to develop 583 affordable rental homes throughout Oakland. Awardees will leverage the City’s investments to apply for funding from the state and private entities.”

In December, the office of Rebecca Kaplan, interim District 2 City Councilmember, worked with HCD to allocate an additional $10 Million from Measure U to the funding pool. The legislation also readopted various capital improvement projects including street paving and upgrades to public facilities.

The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded in the current round:

Mandela Station Affordable

238 Affordable Units including 60 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $15 million + previously awarded $18 million
Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 1451 7th St.

Liberation Park Residences

118 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $28 million
Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone
City Council District: 6
Address: 7101 Foothill Blvd.

34th & San Pablo

59 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $7 million
Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.

The Eliza

96 Affordable Units including 20 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $20 million
Developer: Mercy Housing California
City Council District: 3
Address: 2125 Telegraph Ave.

3135 San Pablo

72 Affordable Units including 36 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $10.5 million
Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center
City Council District: 3
Address: 3515 San Pablo Ave.

The source of this story is the media reltations office of District 2 City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Oakland Housing and Community Development Department Awards $80.5 Million to Affordable Housing Developments

Published

11 months ago

January 30, 2025

Oakland Post

Rebecca Kaplan, interim District 2 city councilmember. File photo.

Special to The Post

The following Oakland affordable housing developments have been awarded in the current round:

Mandela Station Affordable

238 Affordable Units including 60 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $15 million + previously awarded $18 million
Developer: Mandela Station LP (Pacific West Communities, Inc. and Strategic Urban Development Alliance, LLC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 1451 7th St.

Liberation Park Residences

118 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $28 million
Developer: Eden Housing and Black Cultural Zone
City Council District: 6
Address: 7101 Foothill Blvd.

34th & San Pablo

59 Affordable Units including 30 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $7 million
Developer: 34SP Development LP (EBALDC)
City Council District: 3
Address: 3419-3431 San Pablo Ave.

The Eliza

96 Affordable Units, including 20 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $20 million
Developer: Mercy Housing California
City Council District: 3
Address: 2125 Telegraph Ave.

3135 San Pablo

72 Affordable Units including 36 dedicated for Homeless/Special Needs
Award: $10.5 million
Developer: SAHA and St. Mary’s Center
City Council District: 3
Address: 3515 San Pablo Ave.

The source of this story is media reltations office of District 2 City Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Alameda County

Oakland Acquisition Company’s Acquisition of County’s Interest in Coliseum Property on the Verge of Completion

The Board of Supervisors is committed to closing the deal expeditiously, and County staff have worked tirelessly to move the deal forward on mutually agreeable terms. The parties are down to the final details and, with the cooperation of OAC and Coliseum Way Partners, LLC, the Board will take a public vote at an upcoming meeting to seal this transaction.

Published

12 months ago

January 11, 2025

Oakland Post

Alameda County Board of Supervisors Chairman David Haubert. Official photo.

Special to The Post

The County of Alameda announced this week that a deal allowing the Oakland Acquisition Company, LLC, (“OAC”) to acquire the County’s 50% undivided interest in the Oakland- Alameda County Coliseum complex is in the final stages of completion.

Oakland has already finalized a purchase and sale agreement with OAC for its interest in the property. OAC’s acquisition of the County’s property interest will achieve two longstanding goals of the County:

The Oakland-Alameda Coliseum complex will finally be under the control of a sole owner with capacity to make unilateral decisions regarding the property; and
The County will be out of the sports and entertainment business, free to focus and rededicate resources to its core safety net

In an October 2024 press release from the City of Oakland, the former Oakland mayor described the sale of its 50% interest in the property as an “historic achievement” stating that the transaction will “continue to pay dividends for generations to come.”

The Board of Supervisors is pleased to facilitate single-entity ownership of this property uniquely centered in a corridor of East Oakland that has amazing potential.

“The County is committed to bringing its negotiations with OAC to a close,” said Board President David Haubert.