Two Killed by Chicago Police Following Report of Domestic Dispute

Chicago police, responding to a report of a domestic disturbance, shot and killed a young black man and a black woman Saturday. In the very early hours of Saturday morning, a man called the police to say that his son was acting agitated. When they arrived, the police shot and killed the son, Quintonio LeGrier, 19, and a neighbor, Bettie R. Jones, 55.

"Upon arrival, officers were confronted by a combative subject," the Chicago police department said in a statement on Saturday, "resulting in the discharging of the officer's weapon, fatally wounding two individuals."

The most vague statement I've ever seen CPD release after a police shooting. Gotta think Laquan changed things. — Sam Charles (@samjcharles)December 26, 2015

The shooting took place just before 4.30 am, police said. Jones and LeGrier were transported to separate hospitals and were both pronounced dead by 5.15 am.

Related: The Year of Black Lives Matter: A Movement With Mixed Success

Neighbors and family members at the scene told local news outlets that the domestic disturbance stemmed from LeGrier threatening his father with a metal baseball bat. Relatives told the Chicago Tribune that LeGrier had been suffering from mental health issues recently.

"You call the police, you try to get help and you lose a loved one," LeGrier's mother, Janet Cooksey, who was not present at the time of the shooting, told the Chicago Tribune. "What are they trained for? Just to kill? I thought that we were supposed to get service and protection. I mean, my son was an honors student. He's here for Christmas break, and now I've lost him."

In 2013, LeGrier ran the Chicago Marathon to raise money for clean drinking water for African children. He graduated from high school with honors last year and was currently studying electrical engineering at Northern Illinois University.

Quintonio LeGrier, NIU student killed in police-involved shooting in West Garfield Park — Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune)December 26, 2015

Bettie Jones was reportedly a mother of five, whose children's ages range from 19 to 38 years. Her brother, Melvin Jones, told the Associated Press that Bettie Jones celebrated Christmas with 15 relatives at her first-floor apartment which she shared with her boyfriend. He said his sister had had an "excellent" day.

"There are so many questions and no answers," Melvin Jones said. "I'm numb right now."

 The shooting, which is currently under investigation by the Independent Police Review Authority, comes at a time when the Chicago Police Department is already steeped in controversy. The Independent Police Review Authority told VICE News that it was unable to provide any other details on the incident at this time.

A federal civil rights investigation into the department's use of deadly force was launched following the recently released video of Laquan McDonald, a black teenager, being shot 16 times by a white police officer. The video was released one year after the incident, and has sparked waves of outrage and protest across the city and beyond. On Christmas Eve, activists gathered in one of Chicago's busiest shopping areas to condemn police brutality and racial injustice.

Related: Protesters Flood Downtown Chicago After Mayor Apologizes for Laquan McDonald Case

The racial background of the officer who shot Quintonio LeGrier and Bettie R. Jones is not known at this time.

Protesters fill the streets of Chicago demanding justice for Laquan McDonald — NowThis (@nowthisnews)December 25, 2015