CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Civilian Office of Police Accountability and the City of Chicago are working to release video of the deadly police officer shooting of a 13-year-old boy on the Southwest Side early Monday.
Meanwhile, the boy’s mother said she also wants answers about the death of her son, who she said wanted to be a police officer when he grew up.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is now investigating Monday's shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo.
He was shot around 2:30 a.m. Monday morning in the 2300 block of South Sawyer Avenue in the Little Village neighborhood. Toledo lived about a mile and half from the incident.
The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said he was shot in the chest and pronounced dead at the scene.
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In a statement, police said officers responded to a ShotSpotter alert at about 2:35 a.m. that morning and saw two males. One person, who was allegedly armed, ran from the scene and was shot by an officer during the “armed confrontation,” police said.
Police shared a photo of a gun allegedly recovered at the scene.
That person, later identified as Adam Toledo, died at the scene, police said. Authorities took four days to release Adam’s name as they waited to notify next-of-kin, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner’s office said.
The other person who ran from police, 21-year-old Ruben Roman Jr. of Edgewater, was arrested and charged with a misdemeanor count of resisting arrest, police said. In 2019, Roman pleaded guilty to illegal gun possession stemming from an arrest in Evanston and was sentenced to probation, court records show.
The officer in Monday’s incident was placed on desk duty for 30 days while the Civilian Office of Police Accountability investigates the shooting, police said.
The shooting was captured by body-worn camera, but it wasn’t immediately clear if investigators would release it, COPA said in a statement Thursday.
COPA is required to release body camera video of police shootings within 60 days of the incident, but policy prohibits them from sharing video if the victim is under 18-years old. Without a court order, the video would not be released, COPA said.
Investigators will release other evidence including 911 calls, police reports and radio transmissions within 60 days, COPA said.
COPA and the city said they are exploring every legal avenue to release the video to the public.
"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," COPA said in a statement. "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."
In a statement, Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who has a 13-year-old daughter, said she “can only imagine the incredible pain this boy’s parents are experiencing at this moment. My heart goes out to them."
Police Supt. David Brown said the shooting was “tragic” and “adamantly” called for the release of relevant videos.
“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," Supt. Brown said in a statement.
"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.”
Mayor Lightfoot added: "Because his family and the public will undoubtedly have many questions, we must release any relevant videos as soon as possible. Recognizing that these are the most complex cases that COPA investigates, transparency and speed are crucial."
Elizabeth Toledo, Adam’s mom, said in a phone interview Thursday with the Chicago Sun-Times, that she doesn’t know what happened to her son, who she last saw Sunday when they attended a memorial service for a relative who died.
She said she “just wants answers about what really happened.”
“I haven’t heard from cops since yesterday when they knocked on my door,” said Elizabeth Toledo, 44.
In speaking about Adam, she said “he was always happy. He loved animals. He was loving to all his siblings,” she said.
"He wanted to be a cop when he grew up. And next thing you know, a cop took his life,” she added.