Protesters gather, call for indictment of CPD officer who shot, killed Anthony Alvarez
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Protesters gathered Wednesday night to call for the indictment of the Chicago police officer who shot and killed 22-year-old Anthony Alvarez last year.
The rally was held outside the 16th (Jefferson Park) District station, where Officer Evan Solano was expected to return to work after serving a 20-day suspension for violating several department rules during the foot chase that ended with him fatally shooting Alvarez. A few dozen people attended the rally.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability had recommended Solano be fired over the shooting, determining he shouldn't have chased Alvarez in the first place, and violated Chicago Police Department orders when he shot Alvarez.
But Police Supt. David Brown disagreed with COPA's findings, and a member of the Chicago Police Board who reviewed the case sided with Brown, determining his actions were "reasonably justified."
Instead, the Police Board issued only a 20-day suspension for Solano for failing to activate his body camera in a timely fashion, failing to properly load his firearm, and failing to properly notify the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications of the chase.
Solano shot Alvarez as Alvarez was holding a gun in his right hand as he was running away from Solano and his partner on March 31, 2021.
Surveillance video from the night of the shooting shows a squad car chasing Alvarez at a gas station in Portage Park.
Officer Solano's body camera shows him running down an alley and eventually around a corner onto a front lawn near Laramie Avenue and Eddy Street. Alvarez's back was facing the officer at the moment he was shot, but a gun was visible in his right hand, moving from right to left. Solano shot him in the back and knee.
While protesters are demanding Solano be indicted for the shooting, Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx earlier this year said she would not be filing charges, saying the chase might have violated Chicago Police Department foot pursuit policies, but there wasn't sufficient evidence to support criminal charges for the shooting that killed Alvarez.
Foxx has said prosecutors determined Alvarez reasonably believed he was in danger when he opened fire, believing Alvarez was turning to shoot him at the time.