White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Friday slammed law enforcement for “too often” using “unnecessary force” — as she was asked to weigh in on the police shooting of Adam Toledo in Chicago.
Psaki called the newly released video of the 13-year-old’s death “chilling,” adding that she wasn’t sure if President Biden had seen it yet.
At a press briefing, she said it served as a “reminder” that “too often in this country, law enforcement uses unnecessary force, too often resulting in the death of black and brown Americans.”
Authorities on Thursday released body camera footage of the deadly March 29 shooting showing Officer Eric Stillman chasing the seventh-grader through an alley while ordering him to stop and put his hands up.
Stillman, 34, also commands Toledo to drop the gun he’s carrying — and just as the teen turns around, Stillman fires a single shot, fatally striking Toledo.
The seconds leading up to Toledo’s death are being hotly contested — with Chicago police claiming the footage shows the teen with a gun in his right hand when he was killed.
An attorney for Toledo’s family, however, has said the video proves that the teen was complying with Stillman’s commands when the officer pulled the trigger.
Psaki reiterated the president’s support for police reform through the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which remains stalled in Congress.
“The president, again, has repeatedly said that he believes we need police reform,” Psaki said. “That’s what he says — he’s calling for Congress to send to his desk.”