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On the Hot Seat: Chicago Mayor Refuses Calls to Resign

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Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is dismissing calls for him to step down, even as protests over police brutality continue.

Emanuel is apologizing for the deadly shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald by Officer Jason Van Dyke.

Van Dyke is accused of shooting McDonald 16 times, but it took a year for the video to be released. Van Dyke is now charged with first-degree murder.

At a special meeting of the Chicago City Council Wednesday, the mayor said, "I take responsibility for what happened because it happened on my watch. And if we're going to fix it, I want you to understand it's my responsibility with you."

Protestors were not sastifised with the apology. Hours after the speech, they marched through Chicago's financial district and blocked a major intersection around City Hall for a short time as police directed traffic around them.

The Associated Press reports that critics have repeatedly accused Emanuel of keeping the footage under wraps until after he won a tougher-than-expected spring election for a second term.

The mayor has denied the claim and acknowledged Wednesday that he should have pressed for prosecutors to wrap up their investigation sooner so the video could be made public.

Emanuel promised "complete and total reform" during an emotional speech.

"If we're also going to begin the healing process, the first step in that journey is my step," he said.

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