White House Says Obama Watched Video Of Laquan McDonald Shooting

White House press secretary Josh Earnest speaks about the budget during his daily news briefing at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 2015. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
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President Barack Obama has watched the graphic dash cam video of a Chicago police officer fatally shooting a black teenager, White House Press Secretary John Earnest said Wednesday.

Jason Van Dyke, the white police officer who shot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald 16 times, was charged with murder a day before officials released the video of the shooting last week.

“The President had the kind of human reaction that I think lots of other people across the country have had to that specific video,” Earnest told reporters during his daily media briefing, according to The Washington Post. “The President, of course, is limited in talking about that reaction and I’m limited in the degree to which I can talk about his reaction to it because of his unique role as president of the United States. By commenting on this at great length, I think would be viewed by some as improperly interfering with an ongoing independent criminal investigation.”

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is Obama’s former chief of staff. Emanuel fired city police supt. Garry McCarthy amid protests over the killing.

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