CHICAGO • No charges will be filed against the Chicago police officers who chased and fatally shot 13-year-old Adam Toledo and 22-year-old Anthony Alvarez within days of each other last year, prompting criticism of how the department handles foot pursuits, a prosecutor announced Tuesday.

Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said there was insufficient evidence to charge the officers in the deaths, which were captured on video that showed both suspects appeared to have handguns prior to the shootings.

The public release of the videos in April 2021 renewed calls for reform of the Chicago Police Department, which for decades has had a reputation for brutality, misconduct and racism.

And it came as videos of police confrontations put departments around the country under heavy scrutiny, especially after the footage from 2020 that helped lead to a murder conviction in the death of George Floyd.

In both Chicago shootings, officers chased suspects on foot — a highly unpredictable situation that critics, including the U.S. Department of Justice, have said is dangerous for both officers and suspects and leads to too many unnecessary shootings.

The deaths led to protests and calls for Chicago to adopt clear guidelines for officers on pursuits, though a policy still has not been finalized.

In February, Alvarez’s family sued the city of Chicago, saying it is partly responsible for his death because of the lack of a foot pursuit policy.

FILE- This April 16, 2021 file photo shows protesters marching near Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s home in Logan Square to protest the fatal shooting by Chicago police of 13-year-old Adam Toledo. No charges will be filed against the Chicago police officers who fatally shot Adam Toledo and 22-year-old Anthony Alvarez during foot pursuits within days of each other last year, a prosecutor announced Tuesday, March 15, 2022. (Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Chicago Sun-Times via AP, File)

Ashlee Rezin Garcia