A coalition of Latino lawyers and community organizations is demanding the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate the fatal police shooting of 13- year-old Adam Toledo. The Associated Press reported that the coalition is expected to submit a formal request today.
In addition, the coalition is also demanding that Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot push for faster implementation of court- supervised policing changes in the city, end foot pursuits by police officers, and devote federal COVID-19 relief funds to young people in the Little Village neighborhood, where Adam Toledo lived and was murdered.
Last week, Chicago’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) released a body camera footage of the incident in which police officer, Eric Stillman, was chasing the 13- year- old in the predominantly Latino neighborhood. Stillman, who’s white, ordered Toledo to stop, after which Toledo is seen turning around and raising his hands as a sign of surrendering.
Although, the police claims that Toledo was holding a gun, it was not clear from the video that was released. In the video, Stillman is heard telling Toledo to drop the weapon twice before shooting the 13- year- old in the chest.
The footage has prompted a wave of protests across the city demanding accountability and police reform. Lightfoot has told residents that an independent review agency is investigating the incident. She added that she understands “that the surge of outrage around it is rooted in a long legacy of trauma in our city and country around police violence.”
Earlier this week, a Chicago prosecutor was placed on leave after a spokesperson for the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said that the lawyer didn’t “fully inform himself” of the circumstances surrounding the Toledo shooting before he claimed in court that the boy had a gun on him.
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