Who Killed Adam Toledo?

Rafael Mangual asks and answers the above rhetorical question in this article in City Journal.

Most news coverage and discussion of controversial uses of force by police zoom in on a brief snippet of video, leaving out the context. That is a huge mistake, Mangual argues:

The immediate cause of Toledo’s death was the bullet fired by Officer Stillman. But it’s worth examining how a 13-year-old boy ended up in a full sprint through a dark alley at 2:30 AM with a gun in his hand and a police officer on his tail.

The “root cause” here is an inner city social environment that pulls young people into gangs and a life of crime. Many so-called “reform” proposals would only make this toxic social stew even worse.

In the end, Adam Toledo’s tragic death was caused not just by a police officer’s bullet but by the forces that introduced him to gang life—influences that won’t go away unless steps are taken to target the incorrigible violent offenders who reduce the chances of kids like Toledo living long and productive lives. That mission will require a groundswell of support to carry out.