Cook County (IL) State’s Attorney Kim Foxx announced Tuesday there would be no charges against the Chicago officer who shot and killed 13-year-old Adam Toledo last year.
Toledo was shot by Chicago police officer Eric Stillman in March 2021 at the end of a brief foot pursuit. Stillman and his partner were responding to a shots fired call, WGN reports. Toledo ran from the officers after the 21-year-old he was with was taken into custody.
“Adam Toledo was turning his body toward officer Stillman with his left hand raised while also discarding the firearm that he held in his right hand,” Kim Foxx said in a Tuesday press conference.
"Officer Stillman reacted to the perceived threat presented by Adam Toledo, who he believed at the time was turning toward him to shoot him," ABC7 reports Foxx said.
On Tuesday afternoon, the attorneys who represent the Toledo family released the following statement saying the Toledo family is “profoundly disappointed.” They said a civil complaint has been filed seeking monetary damages against Officer Stillman and the City of Chicago.
“We are profoundly disappointed, as is the Toledo family, to learn that the Cook County State’s Attorney has declined to prosecute Officer Eric Stillman. Despite that decision, we will continue fighting for Adam and have filed our civil complaint seeking monetary damages against Officer Stillman and the City of Chicago in our effort to get justice for Adam and the Toledo family. Officer Stillman’s use of deadly force was excessive and posed a threat to the safety of Adam and others. We will be contacting the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division to address this horrific travesty.
“Adam obeyed the police officer’s commands, stopped running, had his hands up in the surrender position, and was nevertheless shot and killed by Officer Stillman. Despite the painful loss of Adam, the Toledo family continues to call for peace on the streets of Chicago as they pursue justice through the court system.”
