Cops are still carrying on with cop shenanigans—including what they prefer to euphemistically describe as “police-involved shootings”—as evidenced by the recent revelation that a Chicago police officer shot and killed a 13-year-old boy in the city on Monday.
According to a report by Block Club Chicago, Elizabeth Toledo reported her son, Adam Toledo, missing last weekend. Around 2:30 a.m. on Monday, police shot and killed the 13-year-old in what they described as an “armed confrontation.” They did not notify Toledo of her son’s death until Wednesday.
“Adam was a seventh grade student at Garvey School, enjoyed sports and was a good kid. He did not deserve to die the way he did,” the Toledo family said in a statement. “The Toledo Family will seek justice for this reprehensible crime.”
“Adam had many dreams that he will never get to live out. Ironically one of his dreams was to become a police officer,” reads a GoFundMe page created by Toledo to fundraise for her son’s burial expenses.
“I just want justice. I just want answers...what happened?” the mother told ABC 7. “I just want justice for my son. That’s all.”
In its initial report on the incident, the CPD said officers pursued two males in foot pursuit and fatally shot one in the chest, after which a weapon was recovered. A 21-year-old suspect, Ruben Roman has been charged with resisting an officer, but police have not said who the weapon they recovered belongs to.
Meanwhile, the Chicago’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability says it plans to provide video footage of the shooting to the 13-year-old’s family and is working to secure the legal public release of it as well.
Chicago is known for fighting the release of video footage that shows their officers behaving badly against civilians—among them the notorious case of LaQuan McDonald, a Black teen who police shot 16 times in 2014 while he was walking away from them, as revealed in a dash cam footage of the incident that was ordered released by a court.
More recently, a court order was necessary to secure the release of bodycam footage showing Chicago Police officers raiding the home of Black social worker Anjanette Young on a botched warrant and handcuffing her while she was undressed and protesting.
However, Mayor Lori Lightfoot is also now calling for the public release of the footage capturing the shooting of the young boy.
“Because his family and the public will undoubtedly have many questions, we must release any relevant videos as soon as possible,” she said in a statement on Thursday. “Recognizing that these are the most complex cases that COPA investigates, transparency and speed are crucial.”
“As a mother of a 13-year-old myself, I can only imagine the incredible pain this boy’s parents are experiencing at this moment. My heart goes out to them,” Lightfoot added.
The CPD says it supports the release of any and all video related to the incident. The officer who shot the young teen has been put on administrative duty for 30 days.