Watch CBS News

State Rep.: 'Maybe The Police Are Killing Some Of These Kids'

Updated 07/20/13 - 10:56 a.m.

CHICAGO (CBS) -- An Illinois state representative has publicly raised the possibility that Chicago police officers might be the ones responsible for the unsolved murders of black youths in Chicago.

State Rep. Monique Davis (D-Chicago) was interviewed about Chicago crime Tuesday on WCHB-AM in Detroit.

Davis Suggests Police Responsible For Unsolved Murders

"I'm going to tell you what some suspicions have been, and people have whispered to me: they're not sure that black people are shooting all of these children," Davis said.

"There's some suspicion - and I don't want to spread this, but I'm just going to tell you what I've been hearing - they suspect maybe the police are killing some of these kids."

When WBBM asked Davis if she thinks it's possible that police are killing children, she said, "I don't know. I don't know that they are, and I don't know that they aren't, since no one's been arrested. We don't know who's doing it."

Davis called a news conference at her South Side legislative office Friday to says that, while some of her constituents believe that, she does not, nor does she believes she owes anyone an apology.

"My community believes that," she said. "Should I apologize for my community's beliefs?"

Police Supt. Garry McCarthy called the allegations "absurd."

"I think it's inflammatory and also insulting to the men and women of the Chicago Police Department, who are putting their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe," McCarthy said.

Mike Shields, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, was incredulous at Davis's remarks.

"I think it's outrageous," he tells CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine. "Produce the people that have actually said this, show us who has actually told you that in our community because anybody that says that Chicago police officers are out there killing babies is insane."

Listen to the full segment where Davis made her claim below:

Davis Discusses Chicago Crime On Detroit Talk Show

Earlier this month, Davis called on Gov. Pat Quinn to call out the National Guard to assist Chicago police in fighting violent crime in the city.

She suggested the governor and Mayor Rahm Emanuel could appoint a blue-ribbon panel – including former Police Superintendents Terry Hillard and Jody Weis, along with religious leaders, teachers, and others – to direct the day-to-day operations of National Guard members sent to Chicago to fight crime.

"I don't want them stopping citizens, or frisking citizens, or acting as if they're in a foreign land. I want them to come as support, to serve and protect, which is the motto of our Police Department," she said.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.