CHICAGO — A prosecutor announced Tuesday that no charges will be issued against two police officers involved in the shooting deaths of a 13-year-old boy and 22-year-old man in two highly charged cases.
Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said there was insufficient evidence to charge the officers in the deaths of Adam Toledo and Anthony Alvarez.
The two shootings occurred within weeks of each other. The city released video in both cases that showed foot pursuits preceded both shootings and both suspects appeared to have handguns prior to the shootings.
Foxx was critical of the officers in the shooting death of Alvarez, 22, saying they created the situation that put them in danger. Alvarez was walking, and officers said they wanted to pursue him because of a traffic incident the night before.
“The foot pursuit was unnecessary,” Foxx said. Though she said that in the moment when the officer fired, he demonstrated that he was fearful for his life.
In meeting with Alvarez family and their attorney, Foxx said the family was “unmistakably heartbroken” and had “many many questions” about why officers didn’t come to their house if they knew they were looking for him.