Chicago City Wire

On March 29 a Hispanic teen was shot and killed in Little Village by the Chicago Police Department after a confrontation where Toledo dropped a handgun moments before being shot, according to police body cam footage. 

Chicago Police Union President John Catanzara Jr. told Sean Hannity on Fox News that Chicago PD Officer Eric Stillman, who fatally shot the teen, had no way of knowing the boy's intention when the gun became visible. 

"I've said it time and time again, our officers not only in Chicago, Illinois, or even in this country are under no obligation to be fired upon or struck by gunfire before defending their own life," Catanzara said. "We're not and it should never be."

Adam Toledo's killing sparked protests across Chicago and the rest of the country as police violence against Latinos and other people of color rhetoric surfaced once again. 

"I don’t know if that is the long game here on what they intend policies to be that we have to subject ourselves to gunfire before we take action, but it is absolutely ridiculous," Catanzara said. 

The union president pointed out that body cam footage helps to add clarity to cases like these, and expressed frustration that the mayor did not mention gang activity as an attribute to the violence plaguing Chicago. 

"The mayor in a press conference never once mentioned the word gangs," Catanzara said. "Not once. But talked about the police department and systemic racism and everything else under the sun. But never anything about the gangs."

The Chicago Tribune published video footage of the shooting last week. Toledo's death marks the youngest person fatally shot by the Chicago PD in several years.