Police in New York state have shot dead a 13-year-old boy after he ran from police while holding a replica handgun, authorities said.
Officers stopped Nyah Mway and another 13-year-old on Friday night as the pair matched descriptions of suspects wanted for recent robberies in Utica, police said.
As the officers questioned the boys, Nyah Mway fled on foot and a chase ensued. Utica Police Chief Mark Williams said police spotted what “appeared to be a handgun”.
One officer then wrestled the boy to the floor. “During a ground struggle”, another officer fired a single shot that hit the teenager in the chest, the police chief said.
He was given first aid at the scene but later died at Wynn Hospital.
Police released several minutes of body camera footage on Saturday night, from all the officers’ cameras.
It came shortly after outraged members of the local community heckled the Utica police chief at a press conference, which was attended by the boy’s family.
Utica Mayor Michael Galime called for calm, saying: “We understand the weight of this situation and want to ensure that every single piece of this is understood.”
The footage appears to show the teenager pointing what police say was the replica weapon, while running away. The officers can be heard shouting “gun!” to each other.
The officers believed they had seen a real handgun, police said – but it was later determined to be a replica of a Glock 17 weapon that could only fire pellets or BB’s.
The three officers involved were on a patrol of the West Utica area assisting with two recent robbery investigations nearby.
In one of the incidents on 27 June, two men armed with a black firearm forcibly demanded and stole property from victims. The suspects were described as an Asian male and a dark-skinned male – one travelling by foot and one on a bicycle.
Authorities say they stopped Nyah Mway and the other teenager based on these “identifying factors” at around 22:00 local time.
The officers involved have been named as Patrick Husnay, who fired the fatal shot, Bryce Patterson and Andrew Citriniti. They have been placed on administrative leave.
The shooting is being investigated by both the New York attorney general’s office and Utica police.
