Who was Anthony Alvarez? Chicago man, 22, shot dead by cop during foot chase 2 days after Adam Toledo killing
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: The bodycam footage of the police shooting of Anthony Alvarez has been released by the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA). The 22-year-old from Chicago was fatally shot on March 31, 2021, after he was chased by the police on foot for a certain distance till he reached a lawn in Portage Park. Moments before his shooting, the Chicago police officer can be heard shouting at him twice to "drop the gun". Immediately afterward, five shots are fired as Alvarez falls to the ground whimpering in pain.
As Alvarez's family and protesters in Chicago demand justice for the young man, the officer who fired at him has been placed on administrative leave. Meanwhile, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot stated, "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." Incidentally, just two days before Anthony Alvarez's shooting, 13-year-old Adam Toledo was gunned down by cops on March 29 while he had his hands in the air.
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Who was Anthony Alvarez?
Anthony Alvarez was the father of a two-year-old girl and hailed from Portage Park, Chicago. His family described him as a very calm and quiet person with a passion for soccer. He was a supporter of Mexico City's Pumas football club and rooted for them during their matches. Alvarez used to work as a machine operator at a meat factory in suburban Franklin Park, according to Block Club Chicago.
Around 9 pm on March 30, 2021, Alvarez had reportedly visited his father in Portage Park to show him a Jeep he recently purchased. He also planned for a family dinner at that time.
Barely three hours later, he was being chased by police officers in the 3500 block of North Laramie Avenue. He was chased to the 5200 block of West Eddy Street, before being shot by the police officer in pursuit. The location was just two blocks away from his place of residence.
After his fatal shooting on Sunday, Alvarez's family was in the dark about his whereabouts for a long time till the next day. His mother and brother could not reach him on his phone. Later, his mother visited the shooting scene spotting a commotion in the neighborhood. The police then showed her a photo of Alvarez on the phone, verifying his identity.
His family is yet to be told in detail about why Anthony Alvarez was being chased by the police. Meanwhile, they have launched a GoFundMe to support his legal expenses.
Why was Anthony Alvarez shot?
John Catanzara, the head of the police union in Chicago who was recently stripped off pay on misconduct charges, explained the circumstances leading to the fatal shooting of Anthony Alvarez. Catanzara said Alvarez had fled from police in a vehicle a day prior to his shooting. It is not sure if the police were on the lookout for him, but, when an officer spotted him the following day, he pursued him on foot.
After Alvarez was shot, he asked the officer, "Why you shooting me?" to which he responded, "You had a gun." However, people argue that the bodycam footage shows him dropping the gun and turn on his back before he was shot from behind. You can see the bodycam footage on the COPA website.
In his statement, Catanzara justified the shooting saying, "There is nothing wrong with this shooting just because the bullet struck the offender from behind." He added that the officer who shot him feared that Alvarez might turn towards him and fire his gun anytime.