Lightfoot calls for calm after release of another police shooting video

Chicago’s independent police review board on Wednesday released video of yet another fatal shooting by police — this time of a 22-year-old Latino man who was shot in the back late last month during a foot chase.Mayor Lori Lightfoot called for calm before the release of the March 31 footage of the fatal police shooting of 22-year-old Anthony Alvarez. It was a repeat of just two weeks ago, when she called for peace before the release of footage showing police kill a 13-year-old Latino boy, 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. Five shots rang out.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.It is clear in that shaky video that Alvarez had his back to the officer when he shot him. But it isn’t clear from the footage whether Alvarez had a gun or if he might have been turning at that moment. One officer can be heard saying there is a gun near Alvarez.Alvarez’s family were provided the video on Tuesday. Todd Pugh, a lawyer for the family, said he watched the video, “And I saw a Chicago police officer shoot their son as he ran away from them.”Lightfoot didn’t say what the video shows and authorities haven’t released the name or other details about the officer who shot Alverez, including the officer’s race.But in an unusual move, the head of the police officer’s union, John Catanzara, issued a statement in anticipation of the video’s release and what he said would be an outcry and “spin” about the shooting because Alvarez, whom he didn’t identify by name, was shot in the back.”There is nothing wrong with this shooting just because the bullet struck the offender from behind,” Catanzara said in a video recorded statement.”It is important for the public to look at this with an open mind,” he said.Catanzara said the officer clearly saw Alvarez holding the weapon and that when he was shot, he was turning in the direction of the officer.”The officer fears (he) would turn and fire because that’s the motion he was making,” Catanzara said.Earlier this month, COPA released footage of the shooting of Toledo. It showed a white officer shoot the Latino teen as he turned toward the officer raising his empty hands less than a second after the teen tossed aside or dropped a handgun.As in Lightfoot’s statement before the release of the Toledo shooting footage, her statement in the Alvarez case was made in conjunction with attorneys for the family and had essentially the same message.”The parties are acutely aware of the range of emotions that will accompany the release of these materials and we collectively issue this statement and ask that those who wish the express themselves do so peacefully and with respect for our communities and the residents of Chicago,” the Wednesday statement said.Police say Alvarez brandished a gun while an officer chased him on foot. As it did after the Toledo shooting, the department posted a photo on social media of the weapon it says was found at the scene.But the department and COPA, which investigates all Chicago police shootings, have said little about the shooting, leaving unanswered questions about whether Alvarez fired at police and where on his body he was shot. Nor has the department said why the officer was chasing Alvarez.