2016 presidential candidates weigh in on fatal shooting of Chicago teen

WASHINGTON — Several 2016 hopefuls weighed in Wednesday on the shooting death of a black teenager by a white Chicago police officer.

Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke was charged Tuesday with the murder of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, who was shot and killed 13 months ago. The city also released a graphic dashboard video of McDonald being shot 16 times in 15 seconds.

Hillary Clinton said family members of McDonald "deserve justice and accountability."

"The family of Laquan McDonald and the people of Chicago deserve justice and accountability," Clinton said in a statement. "As criminal charges proceed in this case, we also have to grapple as a country with broader questions about ensuring that all our citizens and communities are protected and respected."

The Democratic presidential front-runner noted that she met in early November in Chicago with the families of victims of gun violence.

"The mothers I met recently in Chicago are right: We cannot go on like this," Clinton said. "All over America, there are police officers honorably doing their duty, demonstrating how to protect the public without resorting to unnecessary force. We need to learn from and build on those examples. The loss of so many young African-Americans taken too soon should reaffirm our commitment to press forward for progress."

Jeb Bush offered similar sentiments in an appearance on CNN's "New Day," telling Alisyn Camerota that the officer should face charges and crediting the city for its non-violent protests -- but also calling it "tough to be a police officer."

"Well, there's a rising tide of violence in big urban areas. Chicago has an extraordinarily high murder rate. It's tough to be a police officer," Bush said.

"When they do what appears to have happened here, they should be charged as was the case in this case. And the fact that there was protest and no violence is a tribute to the people of Chicago," he said.

"We're living in difficult times ... it is troubling around the world and troubling inside of our country," Bush said. "And I think public leaders need to try to figure out ways to unite people around common purposes again, rather than divide us up."

Bernie Sanders said the death was a reminder of the need for criminal justice reform.

"All Americans should be sickened by the video of Laquan McDonald's murder. As a nation we must do more than just echo the phrase Black Lives Matter," Sanders said in a statement.

"Criminal justice reform must be the civil rights issue of the 21st century and the first piece must be putting an end to the killing of African Americans by police officers," he added.