Video was released Thursday of a Chicago police officer shooting and killing 13-year-old Adam Toledo while his hands were raised last month.
The Chicago Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which investigates potential cases of police misconduct, released 17 body camera videos, including graphic video from the shooting officer’s camera that shows Toledo being shot and lying motionless with blood on his chest and face. The shooting officer’s body camera video shows him pushing another man out of the way as he pursues Adam through an alley while shouting “stop” before Adam pauses near a fence. Surveillance video shot from across a parking lot appears to show Adam tossing something behind the fence and later video shows a gun in that location. Adam raises his arms, which appear empty in the videos, as officers shout at him to show his hands and drop whatever he is holding. The officer then shoots Adam less than a second after he began to turn toward the officers with his hands raised.
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot described the videos as “incredibly difficult to watch, particularly at the end” during a news conference on Thursday. Amid plans for protests on Thursday evening, Lightfoot called for people to “proceed with deep empathy and calm and most importantly, peace” and said people should “reserve judgement” and “wait until we hear all the facts.”
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