The shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo by police happened last month, but the Civilian Office of Police Accountability on Thursday released bodycam video, which appears to show officers shooting Toledo with his hands up. Mayor Lori Lightfoot warned citizens to brace themselves for the “extremely difficult” images, though we’re sure the city should be bracing itself for rioting as well.
Video shows 13-year-old Adam Toledo with his hands empty and raised before a Chicago cop fatally shot him. Toledo appears to toss a gun before turning with his hands up moments before the shooting.
(Warning: graphic content) https://t.co/9uryhuZKJ6
— Chicago Tribune (@chicagotribune) April 15, 2021
WARNING: Graphic and disturbing content
Newly released bodycam footage shows Chicago police chasing and fatally shooting 13-year-old Adam Toledo, as he appeared to comply with orders to raise his hands. https://t.co/o8I5DRvU69 pic.twitter.com/WPqifN4KFZ
— CBS News (@CBSNews) April 15, 2021
Bodycam footage released Thursday shows 13-year-old Adam Toledo’s hands were in the air when he was shot by a Chicago police officer last month. https://t.co/eqsh9dOICv pic.twitter.com/tHZm18iSnt
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) April 16, 2021
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
1/ This is REALLY misleading. Almost dangerously so. He appeared to have a gun in his hand one moment before the shooting. I don't think anyone should be stating, with confidence, exactly what happened here, but it's a vital detail to leave out.https://t.co/VazE2hfKpF https://t.co/EguLZimT0J
— Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) April 16, 2021
2/ I absolutely read that tweet, interpreted it as "The cops just made up that he had a gun and then said 'WHOOPS OUR BAD,'" and initially spread that misinformation. These misinfo cascades occur because no one wants to be the asshole saying Slow down, wait for more details.
— Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) 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
Everyone needs to just wait for us to have a better handle on what happened. https://t.co/xkExoPV0Rk
— Jesse Singal (@jessesingal) April 16, 2021
Chance of everybody waiting until we have a better handle on what happened? Zero percent.
Going frame by frame through the video COPA posted, AT can be seen holding a gun-shaped object at 2:38:39. Less than 1 second later, he's shot after he swings around with his hands out around per the officer's command. 17/n pic.twitter.com/BNAwymfh0F
— Matt #BLM (@_facts_matter) April 15, 2021
On twitter, the people I follow are mainly calling this murder by the officer, and that's just a wildly irresponsible and absolutely incorrect assessment, but based on the rabid prejudice my political allies have towards police, I understand it. 18/n
— Matt #BLM (@_facts_matter) April 15, 2021
The officer saw AT holding a gun, couldn't see AT's gun-holding hand as AT threw away the gun, and then AT rapidly swung his hand into view, towards the officer. It was 100% reasonable for the officer to expect they were about to be shot. 19/n
— Matt #BLM (@_facts_matter) April 16, 2021
Cop didn’t know he was 13. Didn’t know he dropped the gun. I’ve never had to confront someone holding a loaded gun in a back alley at night. Neither have you
If we were a serious country we’d talking about the culture and family conditions that lead children to join gangs at 13
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) April 16, 2021
The kid had a gun. He tossed it behind a fence before turning around to face the cop, in the dark. How is a police officer meant to react? He tried to save the kid's life afterwards. Yet politicians and activists are doing their worst. Again. https://t.co/bnwP0qkxZf via @usatoday
— Joel Pollak (@joelpollak) April 16, 2021
Expect to hear plenty more about this shooting.