A New York police officer fatally shot 13-year-old Nyah Mway in Utica on Friday. The incident occurred after Mway ran from officers and pointed a replica handgun at them, according to the Associated Press.
The shooting happened as police were investigating an armed robbery involving two youths who matched the suspects’ descriptions. Both were 13 years old and were stopped by officers about 400 kilometers northwest of Manhattan.
Body camera footage released by police shows an officer informing the youths he needed to pat them down for weapons. Nyah Mway then fled, and the video shows him appearing to point a gun at officers. Police later identified the gun as a replica of a Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun.
During a struggle with Mway, an officer fired a single shot, hitting Mway in the chest. Despite immediate first aid, Mway was pronounced dead at Wynn Hospital.
The police department stated the replica gun had realistic markings, including a detachable magazine and serial numbers. Bystander video showed an officer tackling Mway before the shooting.
Officer Patrick Husnay, who fired the shot, and Officers Bryce Patterson and Andrew Citriniti have been placed on administrative leave. The police chief expressed condolences to Mway’s family, calling the incident tragic.
Nyah Mway was a refugee from Myanmar and a member of the Karen ethnic minority. He attended Donovan Middle School. The police department is conducting an internal investigation, and the state attorney general may also open a case to determine if the shooting was justified.
