Murder charge for Chicago Amtrak officer who shot Minnesota man

Updated 6:50 p.m. | Posted 11:18 a.m.

An Amtrak police officer has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of Chad Robertson, a Minneapolis man, near a Chicago train station.

Prosecutors say the officer, LaRoyce Tankson, 31, turned himself in to law enforcement late Thursday. His next court date is set for March 9.

Robertson, 25, was taking a bus from Memphis, Tenn., to Minneapolis and was on a stopover in Chicago when the shooting occurred. Robertson had gone into Union Station with two friends to warm up during a layover and then went back outside.

Court documents say Amtrak police told the group to leave after seeing them smoking marijuana outside the building. When Robertson's friend returned to retrieve a bag, officers followed him and began searching the men, but Robertson fled down the street.

Prosecutors allege Tankson unholstered his weapon, went into a crouched firing stance and shot once at Robertson while he was 75 to 100 feet away, "running away from the officers at full speed."

No weapons were recovered, and Tankson's partner, who was nearby, did not shoot and did not see anything in Robertson's hands, according to prosecutors.

The shooting left Robertson paralyzed. He died a week later.

Robertson's aunt Theresa Love Williams, called her nephew's death devastating. But she said she is pleased with the charges. Williams said Robertson worked in construction and was the father of two young children and engaged to be married.

"He'd give you the shirt off his back, honestly. Always had a smile on his face," Williams said. "Always a hug, always there for people in need."

Amtrak said in a statement that it continues to cooperate fully with the investigation.