Chicago police officer accused of attacking dog walking a black woman near North Avenue beach; COPA investigating

CHICAGO (WLS) – The Civil Liability Office is investigating a video that appears to show an altercation between a black woman walking her dog and a Chicago police officer along the city’s lake.

In a cell phone video recorded in the early hours of Saturday morning on North Avenue Beach in the city’s Lincoln Park neighborhood, a woman can be heard calling for help as she struggles with a CPD officer.

The woman’s lawyer said the altercation began after the officer seen in the video allegedly asked the woman to leave the beach because it was closed.

After this order, the video shows an altercation between the two.

WATCH: The video shows an altercation between CPD officer, black woman walking dog

“For some reason, this officer decided to interact specifically and eventually address and attack Ms. Brown,” said Keenan Saulter, the woman’s attorney.

Saulter identified the woman as Nikkita Brown and said she was traumatized by the encounter.

Her lawyer described the incident as a brutal and unprovoked attack, saying she was leaving the beach when the officer put her in her hands.

“He was always in the process of leaving,” he said. “I always left the park.”

Supt. Brown goes to a video about an agent arguing with a walking bitch

Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown directed the video during a press conference Monday morning.

“What we do know is that there was some beach closure, apparently, that preceded that interaction,” Superintendent Brown said. “This is the measure of what we know. This agent is not apparently arrested and we do not fully understand because we have not interviewed this officer and the COPA will take care of this interview. I think Copa has reached the person you see in the video walking the dog who had a fight with the agent. I think they are starting this conversation. “

Superintendent Brown said there is also video from the agent’s body camera. The superintendent also asked the public to withhold the trial until the Citizen Office of Police Responsibility can complete its investigation.

Once completed, Superintendent Brown may accept the COPA recommendation or make his or her own decision to be reviewed by the board.

While investigating the COPA, Brown may relieve the officer of his police powers or put him in administrative office. He hopes to decide after receiving another update of the investigation later Monday.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot also acknowledged the situation with a tweet saying she was deeply concerned about what is depicted on the lake beach in this video.

“We are asking and demanding Lori Lightfoot to remove this individual, to release the images of the host and also his name because we know who we are talking about,” said Lamar Woodfield of the No More Foundation.

The Chicago police department responded to the video, saying in a tweet that it knew about the video and was working with the COPA on it.

The COPA said in a separate tweet that they were working with Nikkita Brown’s lawyer.

“We absolutely want a full investigation,” Saulter said. “Our challenge is that we want to identify this officer so that we can formally file a complaint.”

Nikkita Brown’s lawyer said she called 911 when she returned home, alleging she told a CPD sergeant that the conflict began while the officer was in his team’s car.

Nikkita Brown added that other people went out on the beach at the same time, but felt it was a goal because of their race.