Shooting of Anthony Alvarez
CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – In yesterday’s commentary I spoke about the fatal police shooting of Patrick Lyoya in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Some claim that he was shot during a traffic stop. That’s a gross misrepresentation of the the facts. He is dead because he disobeyed a dozen lawful orders by a white police officer: like ‘stay in your car’, ‘show me your driver’s license’, ‘put your hands behind your back’, ‘stop resisting’, and ‘get your hand off my taser’.
Something similar happened in March in Chicago. Anthony Alvarez, who had a long rap sheet, ran off during a traffic stop. He was shot and killed during the foot chase that followed. Mayor Lori Lightfoot says its unacceptable that someone was killed after being pulled over by police. That is also a breathtaking mis-stating of what actually happened.
So today, three facts about policing in Chicago.
Fact one: Anthony Alvarez was armed when he ran. A security camera showed him holding the gun while being chased. An officer yells, “Drop the gun, drop the gun!” before firing the lethal round. The narrative that police killed someone during a traffic stop is twisted. Police killed an armed fugitive who fled with a weapon.
Fact two: Chicago now has a new police policy that bans officers from being involved in foot chases for misdemeanor crimes. Mayr Lightfoot says there are many legitimate reasons why someone might run from police. That’s absolutely wrong. A person who is told, “police, stop!” is involving in a criminal act if they don’t obey. And Alvarez was not a misdemeanor criminal. Possessing an unlicensed gun as a convict makes him a repeat felon. The idea that police should let him run off is absurd.
Fact three: Chicago’s no-chase police tilts street crimes in favor of criminals. Chicago has already had 297 homicides this year… in a city that laid off 700 police officers who refused to get COVID shots.
Chris Conley
Comments