McDonald's CEO Blames Parents for Deaths of Jaslyn Adams and Adam Toledo

McDonald's CEO , Blames Parents for Deaths, of Jaslyn Adams and Adam Toledo.

ABC News reports that in a text exchange with Mayor Lori Lightfoot, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski appeared to blame the parents of two young children who were recently shot to death in Chicago.

ABC News reports that in a text exchange with Mayor Lori Lightfoot, McDonald's CEO Chris Kempczinski appeared to blame the parents of two young children who were recently shot to death in Chicago.

7-year-old Jaslyn Adams lost her life when a hail of gunfire was directed at her family's vehicle as it sat idle in a McDonald's drive-thru lane.

This tragedy occurred while the city was still mourning the loss of 13-year-old Adam Toledo, fatally shot by a Chicago police officer on March 29.

According to ABC Chicago WLS-TV, the CEO's text exchange with Lightfoot read: "With both, the parents failed those kids...".

The comment sparked immediate accusations of victim-shaming and racism.

Protesters descended upon McDonald's headquarters on Oct.

3, organized by labor advocacy group Fight for 15 Chicago.

Protesters descended upon McDonald's headquarters on Oct.

3, organized by labor advocacy group Fight for 15 Chicago.

As the leader of the largest fast-food corporation, Mr. Kempczinski has a responsibility to do much better for Black and Brown communities than add on to racist stereotypes.

, Fight for 15 Chicago, via Twitter.

Kempczinski acknowledged the exchange with Lightfoot in a note to McDonald's corporate employees.

I was thinking through my lens as a parent and reacted viscerally.

, Chris Kempczinski, CEO McDonald's, via statement to McDonald's corporate employees.

The CEO lamented the "senseless surge in gun violence that is affecting so many children," and attempted to show he had learned from his mistake.

Not taking the time to think about this from their viewpoint was wrong, and lacked the empathy and compassion I feel for these families.

This is a lesson that I will carry with me, Chris Kempczinski, CEO McDonald's, via statement to McDonald's corporate employees