CHICAGO (AP) — A 22-year-old Chicago man who was fleeing police had his back turned and appeared to drop a gun when an officer fatally shot him late last month, video released Wednesday shows.
Chicago’s independent police review board released video and other investigation materials pertaining to the March 31 killing of Anthony Alvarez, a day after letting his family see it.
Before the release, Mayor Lori Lightfoot called for calm in a repeat of just two weeks ago, when she did the same before the release of footage showing police kill 13-year-old Adam Toledo.
In one of the clips posted on the Civilian Office of Police Accountability’s website, an officer’s body camera shows him chasing Alvarez. When Alvarez reaches a lawn in front of a house, the officer can be heard shouting, “Drop the gun! Drop the gun!” before he opens fire. Alvarez appears to drop a gun after five shots are fired and he falls to the ground.
As Alvarez lays on the ground, he asks, “Why you shooting me?” to which the officer responds, “You had a gun.” The officer later points to the weapon when other officers reach the scene.
