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Pete Buttigieg
- South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg took responsibility for the killing of Eric Logan, a black South Bend resident, by a white police officer after being questioned about it during the Democratic debate on Thursday night.
- "My community is in anguish right now," Buttigieg began. "It's a mess and we're hurting."
- Both Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Rep. Eric Swalwell attacked Buttigieg's efforts on police reform.
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South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg took responsibility for the killing of Eric Logan, a black resident, by a white police officer when he was questioned about it during the Democratic debate on Thursday night.
The police officer said he was "attacked" by Logan with a knife, Buttigieg said, but the officer hadn't turned his body camera on, despite a policy mandating that it be on.
"My community is in anguish right now," Buttigieg began. "It's a mess and we're hurting."
When asked why the South Bend police force isn't more racially diverse, Buttigieg replied, "because I couldn't get it done."
Former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper then jumped in to argue that Buttigieg hasn't done enough to improve police accountability.
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"I think the question they're asking in South Bend is, why is it taking so long?" Hickenlooper said.
Buttigieg defended himself saying he's done a lot to improve police accountability, but it still wasn't enough.
Rep. Eric Swalwell then jumped in.
"The camera wasn't on and that was the policy, so you should fire the chief," Swalwell said.
"Under Indiana law, this will be investigated and there will be accountability for the officer involved," Buttigieg replied.
Swalwell jumped back in, "But you're the mayor, you should fire the chief if that's the policy and someone died."