Family of 13-year-old Adam Toledo prepares to privately lay him to rest, unaware of any plan to release police video of his shooting Friday: lawyers
As community members call for the release of police video after a Chicago police officer shot and killed 13-year-old Adam Toledo, lawyers for his family said they have not yet viewed the video and were not aware of any plans for its imminent release.
In a statement Thursday evening, attorneys for the family said they had been assured the video would not be made public until the family had viewed it. At that time, they had not been told by Chicago police or the Civilian Office of Police Accountability of plans to release the video Friday, the attorneys, Adeena Weiss Ortiz and Joel Hirschhorn, said.
Toledo’s family, through their attorneys, called for continued peace as they prepare to lay him to rest.
“Betty and Marcos Toledo and their family appreciate the outpouring of community support and are especially grateful that the gatherings, vigils and protests have been peaceful,” the statement said. “It is their fervent prayer that gatherings remain calm and respectful. Peaceful gatherings in this time of pain and suffering testify to the strength and essential goodness of the people of Little Village and the Latino community who recognize that this is a time for grieving and healing, and not for violence or destructive behavior that would only serve to diminish Adam’s death and compound the family’s pain.”
His family was preparing for his funeral, which will be private, the statement said.
Since he was shot March 29, Toledo has been remembered at vigils, and community members have held rallies calling for the release of the video. Mayor Lori Lightfoot has called for a new police foot-pursuit policy to be implemented by the Chicago Police Department before the start of the summer and demanded an investigation into the gun recovered at the scene where Toledo was killed.
COPA, which is investigating whether the officer who pulled the trigger was justified in shooting the teen, has said it plans to release the video.
It’s unclear when the footage will be released publicly, but according to city policy, video of police shootings, as well as the accompanying paperwork, must be made public within 60 days of the incident, unless officials request a 30-day extension after that.
