Chicago police on Thursday released a bodycam footage showing the fatal police shooting of Adam Toledo, more than two weeks after the 13-year-old was killed during a foot chase in the Little Village neighborhood.
The graphic and disturbing video captures what police have described as an alleyway confrontation between Toledo and an officer identified as Eric Stillman in the early morning of March 29.
The release of the footage comes as the nation is once again focused on unrest in the Minneapolis area, where former police officer Derek Chauvin is on trial for killing George Floyd, and where protests have broken out after the fatal police shooting of 20-year-old Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center on Sunday.
In the footage, the officer appears behind the wheel of a squad car responding to a call of shots fired. About 1 minute and 44 seconds in, the officer pulls over, jumps out of the vehicle and starts running after someone. Seconds later, he appears to slam into a person walking in the alley but continues his pursuit.
One minute and 59 seconds in, the officer’s audio comes on, and he can be heard yelling, “Police! Stop! Stop right f***ing now.”
The boy, who is standing near a wooden fence, appears to stop, and at 2 minutes and 3 seconds, the officer commands, “Hands. Show me your f***ing hands!”
Toledo starts to turn to face the officer with both of his hands up.
A second later, the officer says, “Drop it,” and appears to quickly fire a single gunshot.
By 2 minutes and 6 seconds, Toledo’s body crumples onto the ground, though he appears to try to hold himself up.
“Shots fired, shots fired. Get an ambulance over here now,” the officer is heard saying. “Look at me, look at me. You all right?” he asks the boy.
The officer then stretches the child’s legs out, and his full body comes into view. He is wearing a black Nike sweatshirt with the words “Just Do It,” which are now covered in bright red blood; skinny jeans; and white sneakers. His face and hands, which are near his shoulders, are also smeared with blood.
At 2 minutes and 40 seconds, the officer asks, “Where you shot?” as he lifts Toledo’s sweatshirt, revealing his torso.
“Stay with me,” he says.
The boy’s face rolls from right to left. His eyes are bulging and his mouth is agape as the officer calls for a medical kit. Other officers arrive and begin shouting for Toledo to stay awake. At 3 minutes and 30 seconds, the officer who fired at Toledo says, “I’m going to start CPR. I’m not feeling a heartbeat.” Seven seconds later, he begins performing chest compressions.
He pumps on the boy’s chest for about a minute and a half; then at 5 minutes and 5 seconds, he gets up off the boy, lets someone else take over and takes a walk away from the cluster of officers. He can be heard breathing but doesn’t say anything. At one point he stands in a vacant lot, with his shadow looming in the frame, and it appears that another officer steps next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Neither can be heard saying anything.
At about 8 minutes and 7 seconds, he sits on the ground against the wooden fence and appears to let out a quiet sob. His body can be seen shaking. He remains in the same position until he shuts off his camera at 9 minutes and 23 seconds.
Officials have expressed concern that the disturbing videos could set off a new wave of protests in the city against the police department, which activists accuse of brutality and abuse, especially against communities of color.
WARNING: Graphic content.
