Family of 13-year-old to see video of fatal shooting next week
The family of 13-year-old Adam Toledo is scheduled to view the video of the police shooting that resulted in the teen’s death next week, lawyers representing the family said Friday.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) has said it plans to make the video public but only after the Toledo family has seen it.
“The family is scheduled to view body camera video and other materials next week,” according to a statement issued by attorneys Joel Hirschhorn and Adeena Weiss Ortiz.
“COPA, the city of Chicago and the Chicago Police Department have been very cooperative, we wish to clarify published reports that suggest otherwise,” the statement said.
Adam’s funeral was held Friday. Later in the day, about 40 activists from Little Village and North Lawndale gathered outside St. Agatha Catholic Church, 3147 W.
Douglas Blvd., shouting “Black and Brown united” to protest police brutality.
Activist Charles Odom, who is Black, said it was important to show solidarity with Latino residents. “Their problem is our problem,” Odom said, adding that police “have been doing this in our communities for the longest.”
Adam was shot to death early March 29 in the Little Village neighborhood after officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert about 2:35 a.m. and saw two males standing in an alley in the 2300 block of South Sawyer Avenue, police said. Police say the person later identified as Adam ran from the scene and was shot in the chest by a police officer during what police said was an “armed confrontation.” They later released a photo of a weapon they said was recovered at the scene.
The other person also ran from police but was apprehended. Ruben Roman Jr., 21, of Edgewater, was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest, police said. An arrest warrant was issued after Roman failed to show up to a scheduled court hearing Wednesday, and Chicago police confirmed that he was back in custody Friday night.
Initially, COPA, which investigates all police shootings, had said state law prohibited releasing the video since the shooting involved a minor. But it later said it was reviewing the law, after Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Police Supt. David Brown and others called for the release.
Reached Friday afternoon, COPA spokesman Ephraim Eaddy couldn’t say how quickly the video would be released publicly after the Toledo family sees it.
“COPA has communicated consistently with representatives of the Toledo family regarding their review of video and other materials related to the tragic death of 13-year-old Adam Toledo,” Eaddy said. “In our discussions as recent as Wednesday ... family representatives determined by their availability the viewing can proceed next week, at which time COPA agreed.”