Agency: Officer Who Fatally Shot Rekia Boyd Should Be Fired

An external review agency has recommended to the Chicago Police Department that Dante Servin, the police officer who fatally shot 22-year-old Rekia Boyd, be fired from his post.

After looking at evidence from the shooting and speaking with both Servin and witnesses, the Independence Police Review Authority (IPRA), a civilian-led committee that investigates all of Chicago’s police-involved shootings, concluded that Servin, who has been demoted to desk duty, should not be allowed to serve in the CPD. The agency turned its findings into Superintendent Garry McCarthy earlier this week. He will have 90 days to respond to the recommendation.

“We take the use of force by our officers, and the recommendations of IPRA, extremely seriously,” the Chicago Police Department said in a statement. We will carefully review the matter.”

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Boyd was fatally shot the night of March 21, 2012, in a park near Servin’s home. Servin, who was off duty at the time of the shooting, called authorities to complain about a group of noisy teens who were “drinking, fighting and smoking drugs.” Servin approached the group, and testified that feared for his life when he saw what he thought was a gun in one of the teen’s hands. With his back to the group, Servin pulled out his own gun and began blindly firing shots, several of which struck Boyd in the head and another teen in the hand. Boyd was taken to a nearby hospital, where she died the following day. Investigators never found a gun at the scene belonging to any of the teens, only a cell phone.

In March 2013, Boyd’s family received a $4.5 million wrongful death settlement from the city. Servin was charged with involuntary manslaughter, reckless conduct and reckless discharge of a firearm, but a Cook County judge acquitted him of all charges in April.

In its investigation, the IPRA concluded that Servin was guilty of violating police policy, he gave inconsistent testimony and he failed to qualify with the gun he was carrying that evening. Boyd’s family members are pleased with the agency’s recommendations.

“It’s rare you hear of an officer lose their job over killing a civilian,” Boyd’s brother, Martinez Sutton, said to ABC 7. “I agree with the decision wholeheartedly, but I also miss my baby sister. She was the baby of the family.”