Chicago police officers involved in the fatal shooting of Dexter Reed during a March 2024 traffic stop have been cleared of most allegations, according to city data from the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA). Of the 15 allegations against five officers, only one claim of excessive force was sustained. The officer involved in that finding has not been publicly identified, but is described as a white man under 29 years old with less than four years on the force. COPA’s full report remains sealed and the agency has confirmed only that its investigation is closed.
Superintendent Larry Snelling is now reviewing COPA’s findings and has up to 90 days to determine if disciplinary action will be taken against any of the officers. A police spokesperson declined further comment.
An attorney for Reed’s family expressed dissatisfaction with COPA’s decision and called for transparency. “This incident started with an unconstitutional traffic stop on the West Side of Chicago and ended with the tragic and unjustified shooting of Dexter,” attorney Andrew Stroth said in a statement.
The officers involved were part of a plainclothes tactical team known for frequent aggressive or unwarranted traffic stops. According to preliminary reports, they fired nearly 100 shots at Reed after he shot and wounded one officer during a stop over a seat belt violation.
Body-camera footage from the incident led to national attention and renewed debate about pretextual traffic stops—police practices where minor violations are used as grounds for searching for more serious crimes. Critics argue these stops often involve racial profiling.
Reed’s mother is pursuing a civil rights lawsuit against the city following her son’s death. The case returned to court after Chicago’s City Council rejected a proposed $1.25 million settlement, reflecting disagreement among officials over responsibility for the shooting.
“The message should be you can’t shoot at Chicago police, period,” Alderman Marty Quinn said after voting against the settlement.
Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke decided not to pursue criminal charges against any officers involved in Reed’s death. This leaves COPA as the primary body able to recommend disciplinary actions, including potential firings by Superintendent Snelling.
Andrea Kersten, who previously led COPA, resigned in February 2025 following criticism over her handling of evidence related to this case. Her interim successor, LaKenya White, withdrew recommendations for firing officers during her initial months in office.
Three officers—Thomas Spanos, Victor Pacheco, and Aubrey Webb—remain on desk duty. Alexandra Giampapa left the department in November 2024; Officer Gregory Saint Louis was injured during the encounter but remains on inactive status within the force.
Spanos reportedly fired 34 rounds during his exchange with Reed and was recently accused of threatening another officer outside work hours. Tim Grace, legal counsel for the Fraternal Order of Police representing these officers, declined comment until seeing COPA’s final report.
