Charges dropped in case of man shot by Chicago police in incident captured on 'extremely disturbing' video

Chicago authorities are dropping charges against a man shot twice by a police officer at a downtown train station in an incident caught on cellphone video that the mayor described as "extremely disturbing."

Interim Police Superintendent Charlie Beck has asked prosecutors to drop narcotics and resisting-arrest charges against Ariel Roman in light of the events around the episode, police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement tweeted Sunday.

“Given the totality of circumstances and the department’s significant level of concern around this incident, it would be insensitive to advocate for these charges,” Guglielmi said. “While we will not rush to judgment, the level of concern over the tactics used in this incident is significant.”

Roman was initially accused of illegally moving between two train cars and was shot during an altercation with police officers. Multiple investigations into Friday's incident were underway Sunday, and both officers involved were placed on administrative duties pending the outcome.

Roman’s attorney, Gloria Schmidt Rodriguez, has said he underwent surgery after he was shot in the abdomen and buttocks, and that he will likely need more operations. He remained hospitalized Sunday but was no longer in critical condition.

Schmidt Rodriguez also said in statement that Roman “remembers everything about the incident that took place and is fully committed to cooperating with the various investigations.”

The shooting took place hours after Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Chicago Police and the Chicago Transit Authority announced a comprehensive plan to tackle crime on public transit.

The incident began when two officers assigned to the Mass Transit Unit attempted to stop the man from moving between the cars, which violates a city ordinance, police said. A struggle ensued at the Grand Red Line station as they attempted to take him into custody at the bottom of an escalator.

The video shows both officers firing their Tasers at the man. Two gunshots can be heard, but in the chaos it is not clear which officer is shooting. Police said one of the officers shot the man twice.

"I have viewed the widely shared footage depicting the police-involved shooting at the CTA station," Lightfoot said. "With the strong caveat that one perspective does not depict the entirety of the incident, the video is extremely disturbing and the actions by these officers are deeply concerning."

Criminal and administrative police investigations were underway, police said. The incident also was being independently investigated by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability "to ensure the public gains a complete picture of what happened," Lightfoot said.

Beck pledged the full support of police in the investigations.

Hours earlier, the city unveiled its plan to ensure the safety of the transit system. Four detectives and a crime analyst will have the ability to monitor in real time more than 32,000 cameras on all trains and buses, in stations and elsewhere. The goal, Beck said, was to provide faster responses to violent crimes in the transit system.

“With more than 1 million daily riders, the safety and security of the traveling public are extremely important to us,” Beck said.

Contributing: The Associated Press