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Police responded to shots fired on the southwest side near Sawyer and 24th Street early Monday morning, March 29, 2019. Upon arrival, officers found Adam Toledo,13 and 21-yr-old Ruben Roman Jr., in an alley close to the 2300 end of Sawyer Ave.
A chase ensued with the cop and Toledo, which tragically ended with a single, fatal shot to the chest of the 13-year-old behind Farragut Career Academy High School. Police reports indicate Toledo was armed, and a firearm was found at the scene.
Because Toledo was a minor, and no identification was found on him, his mom did not have any idea her son had been shot and killed until two days later. Additionally, Toledo was a minor not released to the public until three days later.
Toledo Reported Missing The Week Before
Why did it take two days for this mom to find out her child had not only been shot but was dead? A week before this fatal incident, Elizabeth Toledo, the mother of the 13-year-old reported him missing. However, the youth had reportedly returned to his home and his name was taken off the missing person list.
In an attempt to identify this unidentified individual, officers determined he might be the young man on an inactive missing person report. Then they contacted the mom was contacted and asked to come to the morgue and identify his body.
Family Denounces Violence Against Police
An alert issued Thursday, said sectors of the Latin Kings, a gang in the Ogden police area on the Southwest Side have orchestrated a retaliation against the police. LA higher division has given Latin Kings directives to fire at unidentified Chicago police cars.
If this report is true, it is alarming,” Adeena Weiss Ortiz, the family’s attorney, said in the statement. The Toledo family denounces violence against the police and all other community members.
Even though the Chicago police shot and killed a 13-year-old Toledo, the family has denounced any acts of violence against them in his name. As the family struggles with this tragedy and searches for answers, their legal representative states:
All we know at this time is a 13-year-old boy died. Adam was a good kid. He had no criminal history. He went to Gary Elementary School. He shared time with his four siblings. And all we know is that he was shot. Ironically, this child wanted to be an officer, and he was shot by the hands of another officer.
Written by Sharri Rogers
Edited by Cathy Milne-Ware
Sources:
Chicago Sun-Times: Family of 13-year-old fatally shot by Chicago cop decries alleged gang directive to shoot police cars, urges public to remain peaceful; by David Struett and Stefano Esposito
Chicago Sun-Times: ‘Troubling’ video of police shooting of 13-year-old boy to be released ‘as soon as possible,’ authorities say, reversing previous stance; by David Struett and Stefano Espisito
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of Shaun Fennell’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Geoff Livingston’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License