The former Chicago police officer who was caught on camera assaulting a Black woman walking her dog on a beach is no longer facing criminal charges, according to ABC7 Chicago. The Cook County State's Attorney's Office dropped charges against Bruce Dyker this week following the viral video of him getting physical with Nikita Brown in August 2021.
Dyker was originally charged with aggravated battery and official misconduct, but the prosecutors said they changed course in June after "consultation with the victim and her attorney."
"The Cook County State's Attorney's Office (CCSAO) will not be proceeding with the criminal charges against former CPD Officer Bruce Dyker," officials wrote in a statement. "There is a civil matter pending that will be proceeding forward."
Bodycam footage and bystander videos show Dyker approaching Brown after 11 p.m. at North Avenue Beach, which was closed at the time. After telling her to leave, Brown complied with his orders but Dyker continued to follow her in his vehicle.
"I'm clearly walking away. This man is getting out of this car," Brown told Good Morning America in September 2021. "He's saying that he's going to take me to jail and I'm never going to see my dog again. This is ridiculous."
At some point, Dyker got out of his vehicle again and got close to Brown, who asked him to stay back since this was during the COVID-19 pandemic. The dispute escalated into violence, with the officer grabbing Brown and throwing her around the beach, causing her dog to get yanked around by its leash, too.
The footage quickly went viral nearly a year after the incident. Brown told GMA she believes the then-police officer targeted her because of her race.
Reporters said Dyker was placed on administrative leave before he resigned from the force in May 2022. He reportedly had at least 24 misconduct allegations on his record, and three of them led to discipline.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability concluded its investigation into the incident, finding the ex-cop didn't racially profile Brown but his use of force violated department policy. The Cook County State's Attorney brought charges against the former police officer in June 2022.
"Today's dismissal of all charges against Officer Dyker shows that charges should have never been brought in the first place," Dyker's attorney said in a statement.
Brown's attorney also released a statement, saying in part, "We fully intend to hold him and the City of Chicago accountable in federal court."
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