New York police shoot and kill 13-year-old boy carrying replica handgun
New York police have shot dead a 13-year-old boy who was carrying a replica handgun only capable of firing pellets.
A video released late on Saturday showed an officer in upstate New York fatally shooting the boy, who had been tackled to the ground. Police said he pointed the replica gun at officers.
The teen was killed a little after 10pm local time on Friday (3am BST on Saturday) in Utica city, about 240 miles north-west of Manhattan. He was one of two youths stopped by officers in connection with an armed robbery.
Both 13, they matched descriptions of the suspects and were in the same area at around the same time the following day, police said. One was also walking in the road, a violation of state traffic law.
The body-worn camera video released by police captured an officer saying he needed to search the boys to ensure they didn’t have any weapons in their possession.
Immediately, one of the two, identified by police as Nyah Mway, ran away. A still from the video prepared by the police appears to show Mway pointing the gun at the pursuing officers while running.
Officers ‘thought gun real’
Police also edited the video to insert a red circle around the weapon to highlight it for viewers. The officers believed it was a real handgun, police said, but it was later determined to be a replica of a Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun with a detachable magazine.
“During a ground struggle” with the teen, one of the officers fired a single shot that struck the boy in the chest, Mark Williams, chief of Utica police, said.
Mway was given “immediate” first aid by the officers and taken to Wynn Hospital, where he died, Mr Williams added.
The replica gun carried by the teen “is in all aspects a realistic appearing firearm with Glock markings, signatures, detachable magazine, and serial numbers,” Lieut Michael Curley, a police spokesman, said via email.
“However, ultimately it fires only pellets or BBs [ball bearings],” Lieut Curley added. A video posted to Facebook by a bystander showed one of the officers chasing after Mway and tackling him to the ground.
It also showed the officer punching the teen as two other officers arrived. A gunshot rang out as the teen was on the ground and the officers quickly stood up.
The officer who fired his gun was identified as Patrick Husnay, a six-year veteran of the force. He and his fellow officers Bryce Patterson and Andrew Citriniti have been placed on administrative leave with pay.
