Fonte: City of Utica, NY Police Department
He pointed a toy gun at an officer, a chase ensued and he was eventually killed. Tragedy in Uticain New York State, where a 13-year-old lost his life after a shooting on a residential street. The episode occurred on Friday evening, around 10 p.m. Three officers on duty stopped two young people; one of them ran away and pointed what appeared to be a real gun at a police officer. The boy was chased; then – once caught – he was pinned to the ground. At that point one of the officers fired a shot.
It all started with a toy gun (air or pellet) that was pointed at the officer. The page that shared the footage captured by the bodycams was Facebook officer of the City of Utica, NY Police Department. First an officer told them to search the two boys on the sidewalk for weapons; then the 13-year-old attempted to run away. He was then thrown to the ground and, suddenly, an officer opened fire.
The boy, Nya Mwaywas taken to the hospital but there was nothing that could be done to keep him alive. Born in Myanmar, he was a Karen refugee who had just finished middle school. He was due to start high school in the fall. The case has shocked the reality of Utica, an old industrial city located about 400 kilometers northwest of Manhattan. The story has outraged some public opinion. The 13-year-old’s family and members of the local Karen community have condemned the incident, noting that the young man had already been arrested when he was shot.
The state attorney general’s office is currently investigating, and the uniformed men involved (who belong to a crime prevention unit) have been arrested, according to The Associated Press. suspended following protocol. It will be determined whether the police actions were justified or not. The one who started the hit was PH, a six-year veteran of the department. The other officers involved are BP (a four-year veteran of the force) and AC (a veteran of the department who previously served with the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office).
At present, the hypothesis of prejudice as the basis for the shooting seems to be excluded, given that no reference or
indication of racism. It will also be necessary to shed light on the rumor that the two young men were arrested because they matched the description of suspects in recent robberies in the area.
