Protesters took to the streets of Chicago Thursday night to condemn the police killing of Adam Toledo, a 13-year-old Latino boy. Body camera video recorded on March 29 and released Thursday by the Chicago police shows Adam had his hands up in the air when a police officer fired a single fatal shot into the boy’s chest. Adam was a seventh grader at Gary Elementary School.
The Chicago police initially described the incident as an “armed confrontation,” but the video shows Adam raised his hands after being ordered to do so. He was killed within 20 seconds of the officer leaving his car to chase him down a dark alley following a report of gunshots in the area.
The Toledo family’s attorney, Adeena Weiss-Ortiz, described the killing as an assassination.
Adeena Weiss-Ortiz: “Adam, during his last second of life, did not have a gun in his hand. The officer screamed at him, 'Show me your hands!' Adam complied, turned around. His hands were empty when he was shot in the chest at the hands of the officer.”