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One fleeting moment. What can occur in just a single second?
The tragic death of Adam Martinez.
On March 29th, a 13-year-old seventh grader from Chicago lost his life at the hands of law enforcement in the blink of an eye. His story has made headlines: “Chicago Police Release Footage of Officer Shooting Boy.” The media coverage around Adam Martinez’s death is extensive, yet the frequency of such stories makes it easy to become desensitized. However, we must resist the urge to normalize these tragedies. When we encounter these reports, we must acknowledge that something is deeply wrong. Adam Martinez should still be alive today.
Reports indicate that Adam was seen “holding a firearm” during the confrontation with police. Prosecutors asserted that gun residue was discovered on his hand. Prior to the release of the bodycam footage, they alleged he had fired at the officers—a claim that was later proven to be entirely false. Regardless of whether he possessed a weapon at any stage of the incident, nothing justifies the use of lethal force against him.
When I learned the police bodycam footage was to be made public, I vowed not to watch it. After witnessing the distressing evidence and testimonies in Derek Chauvin’s trial, I felt I could not endure yet another video capturing the moment a life was extinguished. Yet, I found myself watching it anyway.
What I saw left me shocked and heartbroken, much like the anguish I felt while witnessing the murder of George Floyd. I viewed the footage multiple times, crying and repeatedly asking myself: How could this happen?
At the scene, a 21-year-old man named Tony Rivera was apprehended, breathless and disheveled, while the police attempted to revive Adam, who lay lifeless on the ground. A mother will never again embrace her child, and an entire community is in mourning.
Once again, our nation is faced with the reality of a person of color losing their life to police violence. Did the officers consider their actions? Did they reflect on the potential consequences of discharging their firearms? Did they comprehend that they were using deadly force against a middle schooler, a mere boy of 13?
In the video, I saw a child—one who complied with orders, paused, turned, and then heard the officer’s weapon discharge.
During a press conference, police union attorney Jack Stevens spoke on behalf of the officer involved, Officer Thompson: “The juvenile was in possession of a handgun, given verbal directions, instructed to drop it, and when he began to turn, the officer had no cover or concealment. He felt he had no other choice. He is deeply pained by the outcome. No officer wishes to use deadly force in the line of duty, and he believed he was justified in his actions.”
I am fixated on a specific phrase from his statement: No officer wants to resort to deadly force in the line of duty. But they do. They do, and they are disproportionately taking the lives of Black and Brown individuals at alarming rates.
The officer’s tone shifts after the fatal shots are fired. In that moment, he sounds terrified, urgently calling for an ambulance and attempting to perform CPR, but it is too late. His actions resulted in the death of Adam Martinez. Adam, a child, was pronounced dead at 2:46 AM.
Again and again, we witness these events unfold, and despite our discussions, nothing changes. Police continue to employ excessive force that far too often proves fatal. Officers must react thoughtfully rather than impulsively. Officer Thompson made a choice that day. The crucial question he should have asked himself was: Do I want to take this child’s life? If he had opted differently, Adam would still be with us today.
I voiced my outrage following the deaths of George Floyd, Eric Garner, and Daunte Wright—this should evoke anger in all of us. Our country grapples with a crisis as dire as COVID-19, with lives being lost senselessly every day. Racism is a pandemic in its own right. Black and Brown lives matter, but when will law enforcement acknowledge that?
Dear Officer, will you choose to save a life? Next time, Officer, will you call for backup and maintain your composure? Will you recognize that every life has value?
We need law enforcement that prioritizes making the right decisions every single time. The lives of our children depend on it.
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Summary
The story of Adam Martinez serves as a tragic reminder of the urgent need for reform in law enforcement practices, particularly regarding the use of deadly force against children and marginalized communities. The events surrounding his death highlight systemic issues that must be addressed to prevent further loss of life.