Newtown, CT — Yesterday, bodycam footage of the shooting of Adam Toledo by Chicago law enforcement revealed that the 13-year-old Latino seventh-grader was unarmed and had his hands up, the universal gesture of surrender.
In response to this tragedy, Nicole Hockley, co-founder and managing director of Sandy Hook Promise and mother of Dylan, who was killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, issued the following statement:
“My heart is with the family of Adam Toledo, feeling the excruciating pain of having a child murdered by a gun made wholly worse by the fact that their 13-year-old boy’s life was ripped away by a police officer, sworn to serve and protect his community. I stand with the Toledo family and all those demanding justice for Adam and accountability in law enforcement. Every person and child deserves to feel safe and live without fear of being shot dead with their hands up.”
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About Sandy Hook Promise
Sandy Hook Promise (SHP) is a national nonprofit organization with a mission to end school shootings and create a culture change that prevents violence and other harmful acts that hurt children. Through its life-saving, evidence-informed Know the Signs prevention programs, SHP educates and empowers youth and adults to recognize, intervene, and get help for individuals who may be socially isolated and/or at risk of hurting themselves or others. Through nonpartisan policy and partnerships, SHP advances gun safety, youth mental health, and violence prevention education at the state and federal levels that protect all children from gun violence in their schools, homes, and communities. SHP is led by several family members whose loved ones were killed in the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School on December 14, 2012. Learn more at www.sandyhookpromise.org
Media Contact:
Aimee Thunberg, Senior Director, Communications, Sandy Hook Promise| [email protected] | 646.761.5579