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McDonald's CEO texted Lightfoot 'the parents failed those kids' after shootings of Adam Toledo, Jaslyn Adams

By FOX 32 Digital Staff
Updated  November 3, 2021 9:38pm CDT
McDonald's
FOX 32 Chicago

McDonald's CEO under fire for blaming parents of young shooting victims

The CEO of McDonald's is under fire after a text message exchange with Mayor Lori Lightfoot went public.

CHICAGO - The CEO of McDonald's is under fire after a text message exchange with Mayor Lori Lightfoot went public.

In the messages sent earlier this year, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski commented on the shootings of Jaslyn Adams and Adam Toledo, saying "the parents failed those kids."

In a note viewed by FOX, Kempczinski said the text message exchange came after Lightfoot visited McDonald's new West Loop headquarters in April.

The day after Lightfoot's visit, 7-year-old Jaslyn Adams was shot in the drive-thru at a McDonald's in Homan Square. The little girl's shooting also happened soon after 13-year-old Adam Toledo was fatally shot by a police officer in Little Village.

7-year-old Jaslyn Adams murdered at a McDonald's drive-thru in Chicago

Jaslyn Adams, 7, was with her dad at a McDonald's drive-thru in Chicago on Sunday when someone opened fire. The car was riddled with bullets. Jaslyn was killed and her father was seriously wounded. Brittany Garzillo reports.

Kempczinski said in the text exchange, he thanked Lightfoot for the visit and reflected on their conversation about recent tragedies in the city, and commented that "the parents failed those kids."

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He said when he wrote that message, he was thinking through the lens as a parent and "reacted viscerally."

Mayor Lightfoot speaks on videos of Adam Toledo shooting: 'Incredibly difficult to watch'

Mayor Lori Lightfoot joined community leaders for a press conference ahead of the video release of the Adam Toledo shooting by Chicago police.

Kempczinski also said that he was wrong for not taking the time to think about the shootings from the viewpoint of Jaslyn's and Adam's families.

Additionally, in a note viewed by FOX, Kempczinski said he is committed to working with civic leaders and elected officials to help do his part in making sure these tragedies come to an end.