Teenager shot, seriously injured in encounter with Tracy police. Here is what officers allege
A teenager is in serious but stable condition after being shot Friday by Tracy police officers.
The 17-year-old boy was shot by officers responding to a call regarding a “suspicious circumstance” between two males, according to the Tracy Police Department.
A caller reported that a male with a knife was chasing the other individual.
According to a media statement, Tracy officers arrived at 1:56 p.m. and saw the teenager wielding a knife.
“The suspect approached the officer. The suspect was given commands to stop and drop the knife. The suspect failed to follow commands as he advanced towards the officer,” according to the police statement.
The officer shot the youth after “fearing for his safety and the safety of those in the area,” according to Tracy police.
Neighbors can be seen frantically rushing out to Silvertail Place and Foxtail Way, where the boy laid on the ground in a video of the aftermath captured on Tracy Mountain Review’s Facebook page.
“I need an ambulance to Silvertail (Place) and Foxtail Way there’s a man down, shot by police,” a man can be heard saying in a video.
“Can someone console the family or something,” a neighbor said to an officer.
“You guys need to go back in the house, this is a crime scene,” the officer responded.
“I live here and you guys just shot my minor neighbor,” he replied.
“Tracy PD just shot a 17-year-old minor, bro,” another neighborhood resident said later in the video.
Muslim advocacy group seeks full transparency
The Sacramento Valley/Central California office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Sacramento) is asking for a fully transparent and independent investigation. The boy was identified as a Muslim.
“We are monitoring this extremely disturbing incident and demand that law enforcement authorities operate with full transparency and conduct an independent investigation that will swiftly make public all the facts in this case,” CAIR-Sacramento Executive Director Basim Elkarra said.
Tracy Police Department spokesperson Kaylin Heefner told The Sacramento Bee the investigation is ongoing and the agency will release its video once the investigation is complete.
