Chicago Police Release Bodycam Footage Of Shooting Of Adam Toledo, Pushing “Hands Up” Narrative

As the police released the footage, most media outlets either forgot to mention very important information, or buried it deep

In several fateful seconds, video appears to show 13-year-old Adam Toledo toss gun, turn with empty hands raised before Chicago cop fires fatal shot (warning: graphic content)

It happened in seconds: the pause in a dark Little Village alley, the officer’s shot fired, the 13-year-old crumpling to the ground.

Video of Adam Toledo’s fatal shooting by police was released to the public Thursday (warning: link contains graphic content), more than two weeks after the teen’s killing left the neighborhood in anguish and Chicago on edge.

Authorities released extensive video from body-worn cameras, surveillance footage, gunfire detection data and 911 recordings. Taken altogether, the video appears to show Toledo with a gun that he discards as he turns toward the officer with his empty hands raised.

And the city’s focus inevitably turned toward the crucial split second showing the shooting itself — the grainy, graphic end to the life of the youngest person fatally shot by Chicago police in years.

The video from the body-worn camera of the officer who fired the shot captures the instant Toledo was struck, moments after the officer begins chasing the teen down the alley. The materials were published on the website of the Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which is now charged with investigating.

All three of the links above have excellent video of the incident. Here’s a quickie

In fairness, as we’ve learned with many videos, there are different interpretations. In this case, even with video, there are differing accounts as to when Adam dropped his gun. And since it didn’t happen in slow motion in real life, even harder to tell. More to come. https://t.co/JYIBxmGtUe

— Sharyl Attkisson (@SharylAttkisson) April 16, 2021

Yeah, I was convinced it was murder when I saw the video, but it appears he did have a gun a split second before the shooting and tossed it (which the cop likely didn’t know). It all happened in a second. pic.twitter.com/r4PfaamZCH

— Tsukkomi (@ljenkins314) April 16, 2021

This all did happen in a spit second, and even the above Chicago Tribune leaves out vital information

Police have said officers were dispatched to the Little Village neighborhood shortly before 3 a.m. on March 29 after the department’s ShotSpotter technology detected the sound of eight gunshots. When they arrived, Toledo and a 21-year-old man ran away. While chasing the teen, there was an “armed confrontation” during which the officer shot him once in the chest.

Again, what was this child doing out at 3am on a Monday morning, hanging with a 21 year old who was firing off shots in an area that has tech to pick up gun shots? A known gang area

“If the defendant does not bring the 13-year-old with him, if he doesn’t bring his gun with him while on gun offender probation, if he doesn’t shoot that gun seven to eight times on a city street with the victim standing in arms length of him while he’s firing those shots … none of it would have happened,” Assistant State’s Attorney James Murphy said in court, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Lightfoot said earlier this month she instructed Chicago Police Department officials “to use every resource to track down the origins of this gun – through tracing, fingerprinting and DNA and any other means – and to find the person responsible for giving it to Adam.”

And what is Adam’s culpability, being out at 3am? Perhaps he shouldn’t have been hanging. The area is know for the Latin Kings gang. Toledo is of Mexican American descent. Where were his parents when he was out at 3am?

It is interesting that so many people are caterwauling about this (while forgetting the important details) while not giving a damn about the dozens shot and even killed every single week in Chicago. We know the narrative will be about him having his hands up, ignoring the gun in his hand as the cop chased him and dropped a split second before whipping around.