The city, and Little Village especially, were on edge in the hours before bodycam videos of the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo were released to the public.
At the scene where Adam was killed, people walked past his memorial, decorated with stuffed animals, candles, flowers and a large white bow. People were anxious to see what the video showed and whether Adam was holding a gun when he was fatally shot by a police officer.
Pastor Ramiro Rodriguez of Amor De Dios United Methodist Church kept busy by mowing the lawn around Adam Toledo’s memorial, just an hour before the videos were released.
The videos dropped around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, and after he watched the footage, Rodriguez said, his thoughts were of his family.
“When I saw [Adam] with his hands up, my own children came to my mind. They grew up here, and it’s thanks to God they didn’t have any problems,” Rodriguez said in Spanish. “But now I have grandchildren who are growing up and they come to visit me happily, and I don’t want anyone to do that to them. It would break my heart.”
As a vehicle drove by blasting “F-k the Police” by rap group NWA, 69-year-old Francisco Herrerra said: “I understand that this kid left the house without permission while his parents slept ... and it’s a tremendous pain. I understand what they’re going through.”
Back in Little Village, about 10 community activists took to 26th Street to demand the mayor’s resignation, some gathering for a tearful embrace as passing vehicles honked in support.
“When I saw that video today, something inside of me died. I couldn’t even bear to watch the whole video myself. I felt like my childhood just died,” said youth organizer Kristian Armendariz.
“The veil has been lifted, and what we’re seeing is that the Chicago police feel like they can go out in the streets and kill any boy, any one person,” said Rey Wences, who said they attended the same middle school as Adam. “I don’t care who Adam was or what he was doing at 2:30 in the morning, I’m tired of all of that. The question is, why do police shoot to kill — and that has to be answered.”
Others called on Mayor Lori Lightfoot to resign.
“Now is the time we stop lying,” said Baltazar Enriquez, his right hand raised. “Mayor Lori Lightfoot, your job is gone. Commander, your job is gone. Superintendent, your job is gone. Just like you swore an oath, right hand up. ... I’ll swear an oath in front of the community. All of you are gone.”
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April 16, 2021 at 06:30AM
https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2021/4/15/22386472/adam-toledo-shooting-video-released-little-village-reaction-protests
Sadness, anger in Little Village after Adam Toledo video released - Chicago Sun-Times
https://news.google.com/search?q=little&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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