Larry Snelling's Press Conference

On Monday, Shortly after  I posted my article (which first appeared in New English Review) on the Chicago Police Department’s (CPD) response  (or lack thereof) to an ICE call for help when they were attacked by mobs last Saturday, Chicago PD Superintendent Larry Snelling held a press conference to address the issue. I watched it live on Fox, but they switched away deep into the question-and-answer section.

In his prepared statement, Snelling gave a timeline of the events at the center of the controversy. I am repeating the times and actions as laid out by Snelling. (I am paraphrasing, but the video is available here.)

 10:32 am- CPD receives a call of a person shot at 39th and Kedzie streets. (This is Marimar Martinez, who was shot by ICE agents during the attack and is now facing federal charges.)

“By” 10:36 am, CPD responds. They were flagged down by a woman (Martinez). CFD was called, and she was taken to a hospital.

11:06 am: CPD officers are at the hospital with the person shot.

11:25 am- CPD units are holding down the scene where (Martinez’s) vehicle was found.

11:36 am- The (above) scene was turned over to federal authorities.

12:12 pm- In a “separate” incident, which Snelling said was being conflated with the above shooting incident by some people, according to Snelling, a vehicle rammed an ICE vehicle off the road at 3200 West 35th Street. (CPD). Officers respond to 3200 W. 35th Street. There were no injuries

12:28 pm- ICE calls for assistance at 39th and Kedzie.

1:09PM – “Additional” CPD units en route to 39th and Kedzie.

1:15 pm- CPD on scene at 39th and Kedzie. Tear gas is being deployed by federal officers.

2:56 pm- Objects are being thrown at CPD. Federal officers deploy tear gas.

3:48 pm: Everything all clear.

During his opening statement, Snelling made no reference to the allegation that CPD officers were ordered by the dispatcher not to proceed to the location where ICE agents were being attacked, per the order of the Chief of Patrol. It was during the questioning by reporters that an ABC reporter asked him if, at any time, CPD officers were told by dispatch to stand down. Snelling stated that it was not true that officers were ordered to stand down, yet indicated that he was not sure about the language used, but that he would know by the following day what the exact conversation was. It was clear that he did not have a concrete answer to the question. Yet, he insisted that any time fellow law enforcement officers in distress put out a call for assistance, CPD would respond immediately. The question from the ABC News reporter and Snelling’s response come at the 19:30 mark in the above video.

According to the dispatcher’s log (apparently leaked to the press), at 12:28 pm, ICE agents who were being surrounded by a large crowd requested CPD assistance. At 12:34, per the Chief of Patrol, the order went out that ”no units will respond to this”.

Source: http://garyfouse.blogspot.com/2025/10/larry-snellings-press-conference.html