President of Chicago Police Union Says Shooting of Adam Toledo ‘Was 100% Justified — That Officer’s Actions Were Actually Heroic’

The President of the Chicago Police Union, John Catanzara went on Cuomo Prime Time to discuss the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Adam Toledo. He called the actions of the police officer “100% justified” and added, “that officer’s actions were actually heroic.”

Adam Toledo was shot early March 29th by a Chicago police officer who was responding to a report of gunfire. The police said the incident was an “armed confrontation” and a gun was found nearby. Since the bodycam footage was released Thursday, there has been a debate over whether or not it shows Toledo holding a gun when he was shot.

Catanzara defended the officer saying, “In reality, an average human being could not block someone from slapping him in the face in less time than that…It’s a good reason why the officer only shot one. He would have been justified to shoot multiple times.”

He gave his sympathies to the officers at the scene, “What do you think the officers who responded to that scene and were rendering aid and trying to save his life are now stuck with for the rest of their life? And they got to bring that home to their families, and then their families are affected by this.”

He continued, claiming that Toledo was a Latin Kings gang member. “The poor young kid misguided made a horrible decision that cost him his life, but it was justified.” Remarking on Toledo’s age, Catanzara said, “I will say, he’s 13 years old. We talk about the public school system in Chicago specifically. He should have been in school. But we’re not in school learning, now are we?”

Catanzara is no stranger to controversy. Earlier this year he was stripped of his pay and suspended from the force for filing a false police report on former police Supt. Eddie Johnson for his participation in an anti-violence march. Catanzara also received complaints about social media posts where he suggested killing people and called Muslim people “savages” and that “they all deserve a bullet.”  He defended the posts saying he was referring to cop killers and people who mutilate women in the name of Islam.

Host Chris Cuomo responded to Catanzara’s comments, “I don’t want to judge the officer as a person. I don’t want to judge the victim. I just want to judge the situation and whether it was reasonable in its midst. I appreciate your commentary. For me, I want to stick to the facts.”

Watch above, via CNN.