Overview
- Derek Jordan was shot and killed by Chicago police in Humboldt Park on March 9, 2026, after officers stopped his white Mercedes during a pursuit tied to an earlier shooting.
- The lawsuit filed by Jordan’s family says Officer Max Walzer arrived with his gun drawn, shouted threats to kill Jordan, and then fired six shots through the passenger window about 20 seconds later as Jordan tried to maneuver away.
- COPA released body camera footage in May that records officers yelling at the vehicle and firing multiple shots, while the Chicago Police Department says officers rendered aid at the scene and recovered a gun from the car.
- Walzer was relieved of his police powers and reassigned to the department’s Alternate Response Section, the family’s complaint was filed in Cook County Circuit Court, and a court date is set for Oct. 1.
- The suit spotlights broader issues in Chicago policing by challenging the use of plainclothes, unmarked-vehicle stops and alleging a failure to de-escalate, a development that could prompt further administrative and prosecutorial review and that has left Jordan’s family calling for accountability.