A Cook County jury has awarded $1.3 million to family members of a man shot and killed by a Chicago police officer in 2015, according to attorneys for the family.
Alfontish Cockerham, 23, died several days after he was shot on June 20, 2015, following a foot chase in the 7000 block of South Merrill Avenue. Cockerham’s family filed a personal injury lawsuit against the city of Chicago and the police officer, Anthony Babicz, in 2016, alleging the shooting was unjustified, according to Cook County court records.
The case was heard by a jury this week. Surveillance video from a nearby business provided by the family’s attorneys shows Cockerham running before he is quickly felled by a gunshot from police. The video, which is slightly blurred, shows Cockerham running past the camera on a sidewalk before doubling back. An officer pursues him and shoots.
In a statement, Cockerham’s family’s attorneys, Nenye E. Uche and Shay T. Allen, said the jury “found the shooting to be willful and wanton and unjustified.” The attorneys said Cockerham was shot twice in the back.
