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Probe Into Fatal Police Shooting Of Anthony Alvarez Is One Of Seven CPD Shootings This Year Under Investigation By COPA

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Civilian Office of Police Accountability probe into the fatal police shooting of 22-year-old Anthony Alvarez is just one of at least seven open investigations the agency has involving police shootings this year.

COPA on Wednesday released video showing a police officer shooting Alvarez on March 31 during a foot chase in Portage Park. Body camera and doorbell camera video shows the officer shooting Alvarez as he was running away from officers, holding a gun in his right hand.

In a statement, COPA said CPD tactical officers tried to stop and speak to Alvarez, describing him as "an individual familiar to the officers," when Alvarez ran off, leading to a foot chase.

"During the brief foot pursuit, officers made verbal commands to Mr. Alvarez to drop the weapon. A Chicago police officer fired his weapon multiple times, fatally injuring Mr. Alvarez," COPA said in a statement.

COPA also recommended the officer who shot Alvarez be relieved of his police powers during the investigation. The officer, 30-year-old Evan Solano already has been placed on 30 days of administrative duties, as is standard procedure in a police shooting. He's been on the force for nearly six years, and according to the Citizens Police Data Project, he has had one closed complaint against him.

Adam Toledo Shooting

Meantime, COPA is investigating at least six other police shootings that happened this year, including the controversial killing of 13-year-old Adam Toledo.

Adam, 13, was shot and killed by a Chicago Police officer in Little Village just two days before Alvarez was shot and killed.

Police bodycam video released nearly two weeks ago shows Adam dropping a gun seconds before the officer shoots him in the chest in an alley.

Video of Adam's shooting shows, while he apparently had a gun in his right hand behind his back just a moment before the shooting, he was raising his arms with his hands empty when the officer opened fire and shot him in the chest.

Surveillance video from a building near the alley shows a gun on the ground behind the fence several feet from where Adam fell after he was shot.

Adam was pronounced dead at the scene. His right hand also tested positive for gunshot residue, and the Ruger 9mm was recovered against the fence, prosecutors said.

Travon Chadwell Shooting

Meantime, last week COPA also released video showing the moments a Chicago police officer shot and killed 18-year-old Travon Chadwell, who shot a Home Depot security guard and a police officer after he was caught shoplifting at the Home Depot at 4555 S. Western Blvd.

Chadwell got into a struggle with security officer Kevin Lockett at the store, and shot Lockett in the head, gravely wounding him.

The shoplifter ran off, and police gave chase into a nearby alley. The first officer on the scene was shot in the shoulder, and as fellow officers tended to him, others continued the chase, catching up to Chadwell in a nearby backyard, where the gunman was killed in a shootout with police.

In the video you can hear gunman Travon Chadwell shooting at police.

Moments before shooting Chadwell, the officer took cover behind a fence, waiting for the right moment to open fire. The officer's weapon and Chadwell are both out of frame at the moment the officer shoots, but Chadwell later can be seen in multiple body camera videos, lying in a pool of blood in the backyard.

Keshawna Davidson Shooting

In March, COPA released video and other materials from an incident where an officer shot 20-year-old Keshawna Davidson in Lawndale back in January.

The incident happened at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9 in the 1500 block of South Karlov Avenue. COPA at the time said three Chicago Police officers from the Community Safety Team were on patrol when they spotted an vehicle illegally parked in a tow zone, with Davidson and two men inside.

Officers talked with the people and asked them to get out of the car. The two men did get out, but Davidson did not, COPA said. As one of the officers talked to the woman, she brandished a gun and officers opened fire, striking her.

Body camera video shows an officer directing Davidson to get out of the car as she sits in the driver's seat with the door open and a smartphone in her hand. That was when police said Davidson showed a gun, and two officers shot her several times.

On the video, when the officer yelled, "Let me see your hands!" Davidson turned and the officer backed up and fired shots through the open doors of a police squad car.

Afterward, Davidson is seen wounded on the ground and is handcuffed before being taken to the hospital. Her condition was stabilized and no one else was injured, COPA said.

Davidson survived, she was charged, and she is currently in jail facing at least four felony charges from that day.

Tramin Harris Shooting

In three of the 2021 police shootings COPA is investigating, the agency has yet to release any video footage or other materials, due to court orders prohibiting their release.

The most recent of those involves 30-year-old Tremaine Harris, who was wounded in a shootout with Chicago Police officers on Jan. 18 in Lawndale.

Police have said Harris was arrested that day on the 3800 block of West Polk Street, after getting into a shootout with officers who tried to conduct a traffic stop.

Harris was in the front passenger seat of the vehicle and got out of the car and started to run away when officers approached. As officers started chasing him, police said Harris started shooting at them, and the officers returned fire, wounding Harris.

Police said Harris tossed away three guns during the foot chase before he was caught. All three guns have been recovered.

Harris was taken to Mount Sinai Hospital for treatment, and has been indicted on multiple counts of attempted murder, aggravated discharge of a firearm, armed habitual criminal, and other charges.

Jermaine Morris Shooting

COPA is also investigating the New Year's Day shooting of 35-year-old Jermaine Morris.

Police have said Morris was one of three carjackers who got into a shootout with an off duty police officer while trying to steal the officer's Jeep on Jan. 1.

Police said, around noon, two people were arrested after the shootout in the 1200 block of South Kedvale Avenue.

Morris was shot during the incident and taken to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition, police said. Two other suspects were taken into custody.

Morris has since been indicted on two counts of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm.

Texroy Phillips

The final police shooting COPA is investigating involves a man named Texroy Phillips, but no details of his case are available, due to a court order.

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