Person Shot And Killed By Police In Little Village Identified As 13-Year-Old Adam Toledo
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Authorities have identified the person shot and killed by police during an "armed confrontation" in Little Village on Monday as 13-year-old Adam Toledo.
Police said officers were responding to a ShotSpotter alert of multiple shots fired in the 2300 block of South Sawyer Avenue around 2:30 a.m. Monday when they spotted two males in a nearby alley. One of them ran off, leading to a foot chase, "which resulted in an armed confrontation" in the alley of the 2300 block of South Spaulding Avenue.
Chicago police said an officer fired shots, striking the teen in the chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
On Thursday, the Cook County Medical Examiner's office identified the teen as 13-year-old Adam Toledo, of Little Village.
Another suspect was taken into custody. Ruben Roman, 21, has been charged with a misdemeanor count of resisting a police officer.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is investigating, and the officers involved in the shooting will be placed on desk duty for 30 days, which is standard procedure.
In a statement Thursday afternoon, Chicago Police Supt. David Brown called the boy's death a tragedy, and demanded the release of any video footage of the incident.
However, COPA officials initially said, due to the boy's age, it would not be able to release video footage of the shooting without a court order. The agency said it will release any related 911 calls, police dispatch recordings, and police reports on the incident within 60 days.
But COPA later revised its position. Spokesman Ephraim Eddy said in a statement:
"COPA is currently making every effort and researching all legal avenues that will allow for the public release of all video materials which capture the tragic fatal shooting of 13 year old Adam Toledo.
"COPA's commitment to transparency remains unwavering, one of our core values and paramount to our ability to build and sustain trust.
"The death of 13 year old Adam Toledo is tragic and we have all been saddened by this incident. COPA has been in contact with the Toledo family and will provide the family a review of all video materials.
"We are committed to releasing video materials to the extent legally possible and as a part of our commitment to transparency and building public trust."
The investigation is still in its early stages, but a spokesperson said the officer who shot and killed the 13-year-old fire his gun once, and it was captured on body camera.
Surveillance camera video from the church just feet away from the alley where the teen was shot in the chest provides a small glimpse of what led up to the shooting. Video shows flashing lights as a CPD cruiser pulls up and officers run toward the alley.
Pastor Ramiro Rodriguez who shared the video with CBS 2 said he gave it to CPD, too, but is just learning the person shot and killed by an officer was only 13 years old.
"It makes me worry, 13 years old, 2:30 in the morning," he said.
Chicago police say the officers seen rushing to the scene were responding to the ShotSpotter alert of shots fired on nearby South Sawyer. Those officers saw two men in the alley -- that is how CPD described them -- and ran after them. That is what led to an officer firing his gun, shooting 13-year-old Adam Toledo in the chest.
A spokesperson for CPD posted a picture of a gun, calling it the weapon police found at the scene.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot also released on statement on the situation, talking about how she looks at this not only as the mayor but also as a mother. She said as the mother of a 13-year-old herself, she cannot imagine the pain this family is going through, and she echoed Brown's call for the release of the video.
