COPA releases videos of police fatally shooting 13-year-old Adam Toledo
CHICAGO - WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO. SOME MAY FIND THESE VIDEOS DISTURBING. WATCH AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION.
Chicago's police oversight agency on Thursday released bodycam and third-party video of police fatally shooting 13-year-old Adam Toledo this March in Little Village.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability has been pressured by community activists, Mayor Lori Lightfoot and others to release the footage since authorities identified him four days after his death.
PDF: Original Case Report for Adam Toledo shooting (redacted)
The Toledo family was allowed to view the video along with other materials related to the shooting Tuesday before it was released publically.
Lightfoot on Thursday said she had viewed the police body camera videos of the fatal police shooting of Toledo, calling them "excruciating" to watch. She urged the public to remain peaceful following the videos release.
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"I want to be respectful of family, but I do also think a police-involved shooting, particularly under these circumstances, it’s important for us to be transparent," the mayor said.
Prosecutors on Saturday released new details about the night that Toledo was killed, saying he had a gun and gunshot residue on his hand.
Ruben Roman, 21, who was with Toledo that night in Little Village, gave officers a false name for the boy. Roman is charged with reckless discharge of a firearm, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon and felony endangerment of a child.
In a charging document released Saturday, prosecutors said that on March 29 at about 2:30 a.m., police chased both Roman and Toledo and stopped Roman first.
Police said they yelled at Toledo to stop running and show his hands. They said he stopped with his left side towards the officer, and his right hand at his right side. Prosecutors said that the officer told him to drop the gun and that he did not. The officer fired one shot and hit him in the chest.
The officer called for an ambulance and began chest compressions, prosecutors said. Toledo was pronounced dead at the scene.
A weapon was recovered at the scene of the shooting in Little Village. | Chicago police
Prosecutors said Toledo's hand tested positive for gunshot residue and that a Ruger 9MM was found next to where he died.
The officer, who has not yet been identified, was placed on desk duty for 30 days while COPA investigates the shooting, police said.
Adam’s mom, Elizabeth Toledo, said in a phone interview with the Chicago Sun-Times her son had ambitions to become a police officer.
"He wanted to be a cop when he grew up," she said. "And next thing you know, a cop took his life."
Family held a private funeral for Toledo on Friday. They have also called for peace after reports of possible protests and gang retaliation.