Waukegan council hears complaints on teen's slaying

A smattering of complaints were aired to the Waukegan City Council Monday night over an incident last week in which an officer shot a teenager six times and killed him after his colleague was hit with a hammer.

Community activist Chris "Brotha" Blanks told the council the six shots the officer fired into the 17-year-old cannot be justified. While handling a crime scene is difficult work, he said, Waukegan police may not be receiving proper training for the task.

"It is my belief many of them are getting a pass when it comes to sensitivity training and psychological evaluations," Blanks said.

Waukegan Police Chief Bill Biang said he found the officer was justified in fatally wounding Jeffrey Lewis. The teen sustained bullet wounds to his chest and an arm, according to the Lake County coroner.

Lewis was killed during an afternoon confrontation with police Aug. 20 outside his house on Helmholz Avenue on Waukegan's south side. Officers were called to the home to break up a fight between Lewis and his 24-year-old brother, Gregory.

Police said Lewis attacked a rookie officer with a hammer during the incident. Lewis was rearing back to hit the officer a second time when a sergeant fired and killed the teenager, said Biang.

Another speaker at Monday night's council meeting, the Rev. Robert Rankin, asked officials what would have happened if the roles had been reversed and a police officer hit a 17-year-old boy with a hammer and he fired six shots in return.

"What I want to speak about is injustice," Rankin said.

Biang said the injured rookie officer received staples in his head and continues to recover. He said the rookie is a military veteran who worked about nine years as a corrections officer at the Stateville prison near Joliet before joining Waukegan five weeks ago.

The sergeant received stress-related treatment and also is recovering. Both officers will be on paid administrative leave until a shooting investigation is completed by the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force and state's attorney's office.

Lewis played football at Waukegan High School as a junior last year.

Family friends said the Lewis brothers cared for their ill mother, Margaret Rollins, for the past two years and were known to take her for dialysis treatments.

Authorities said they don't know what specifically sparked the fight between the Lewis brothers.

The sergeant who shot Lewis used a .45-caliber weapon that held 15 rounds.

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<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=227776">Waukegan chief defends cop's shooting of teen <span class="date">[08/14/08]</span></a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=227502">Waukegan cops fatally shoot teen after he attacked officer <span class="date">[08/13/08]</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>