13-year-old ID’d as person fatally shot by Chicago police after ‘confrontation’

CHICAGO (NewsNation Now) — A 13-year-old was identified Thursday as the person shot and killed by Chicago police after a “confrontation” in the city’s Little Village neighborhood earlier this week.

The boy was identified as Adam Toledo by the medical examiner’s office, NewsNation affiliate WGN reports.

On Monday, Chicago police fatally shot Toledo, who they said was armed at the time, and arrested another person.

The shooting happened after police responded to a ShotSpotter alert around 2:30 a.m. Monday. Police said 10th District officers arrived at the scene on South Sawyer Avenue and saw two males in a nearby alley. One armed subject fled from the officers.

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According to police, a foot pursuit ensued, resulting in a confrontation in the alley of the 2300 block of South Sawyer Avenue. The officer fired his weapon striking the subject, now identified by the medical examiner as 13-year-old Toledo, in the chest, police say. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The second person was arrested, according to police spokesman Tom Ahern. Ahern also shared a photo of a gun reportedly recovered at the scene with WGN.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability will investigate the shooting. In a press release, they said bodycam footage of the incident will not be released due to juvenile laws.

The officer involved was placed on routine administrative duties for a period of 30 days.

Chicago Police Supt. David Brown released the following statement:

My greatest fear as the Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department has been a deadly encounter between one of our own and a juvenile especially given the recent rise in violent crimes involving juveniles throughout our city. Unfortunately, this fear became a reality earlier this week. Any loss of life is tragic, especially when it involves youth. On behalf of the entire Chicago Police Department, I extend my condolences to the family of the juvenile, who was fatally shot by a Chicago Police officer in the early morning hours of Monday, March 29, 2021. I’m not naming this young man because I do not want to violate his privacy as a juvenile.
The split-second decision to use deadly force is extremely difficult for any officer, and is always a heavy burden to bear for officers involved in fatal shooting incidents. We fully support the investigation being conducted by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA), and adamantly call for the release of any and all video, including body-worn camera footage, related to the incident, as permitted by laws pertaining to juveniles.
The specifics of the incident, including the comprehensive use of force investigation, are being investigated by COPA with full cooperation of the Chicago Police Department. The officer involved has been placed on routine administrative duty for a period of 30 days. This matter is under investigation, and all further inquiries can be directed to COPA at (312) 746-3609.