A suspect involved in the Chatham shooting that resulted in the tragic death of Chicago Police Officer Krystal Rivera appeared in court on Thursday. This case has attracted significant attention, particularly regarding the events that led to Officer Rivera’s death.
Adrian Rucker’s family has challenged the prosecutors’ narrative, specifically disputing allegations that Rucker aimed a gun at officers on the night of the incident. The family maintains his innocence in the series of unfortunate events that led to Officer Rivera being fatally struck by friendly fire.
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Rucker’s family is now pleading with authorities to release police body cam video that they said will vindicate him.
My condolences to her family, but my nephew is not responsible for her death,” Adrian Rucker’s aunt Monique Reed said.
Reed, Rucker’s aunt, expressed her belief that her nephew is unfairly being made a scapegoat by the Chicago Police Department. She conveyed her thoughts to ABC7 following Rucker’s appearance at the status hearing on Thursday.
“I feel like he’s being railroaded, right now,” Reed said. He knows that I love him, and that we’re standing ten toes behind him.”
The 25-year-old was arrested and charged in connection to last week’s death of fallen Officer Rivera.
According to prosecutors, Rucker was inside a Chatham apartment when police came in, chasing after an armed suspect.
“You’re not just going to stand there because you don’t know what’s going on,” Reed said. “He’s inside of an apartment. He don’t know what’s taking place.”
During that pursuit, prosecutors said police bodycam video and security video in the apartment captured Rucker pointing a rifle at officers from behind a couch in the apartment.
Rucker’s family said he was never armed.
“Release the bodycam footage,” Reed said.
Prosecutors said the officers then kept running after the first armed suspect outside of the unit, in the hallway. And that’s where police said an officer unintentionally shot Rivera in the back during the pursuit. That was only shot fired that night.
Rucker ran outside, where he was later found hiding nearby. Police said he was not armed when he was arrested, but said weapons and drugs were found in the apartment.
Investigators said Rucker lives in Freeport, Illinois.
“The officers were never in pursuit of him,” reed said. “It was someone else that still, to this day, they have not caught.”
When asked about the police bodycam video, COPA said it’s still investigating.
Chicago police wouldn’t say if they’re still searching for the armed suspect who officers were initially chasing that night.
Rucker is expected back in court on Friday.
A prayer vigil was held Wednesday night for Officer Rivera at the 6th District police station where she worked at 78th and Halsted.
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