A 13-year-old boy named Nyah Mway, of Burmese origin, was shot by an officer in Utica, a city in upstate New York. Police reported that he was carrying a compressed air pistol at the time of the shooting. The incident occurred around 10:20 p.m. on Friday when the boy and another minor were stopped by officers while walking down the street, according to police reports.
A video that circulated on social media showed the boy running down a dark street while being chased by three police officers. One of the officers managed to knock the child down, and the others joined in while onlookers criticized the agents for their actions. The boy died at Wynn Hospital in Utica due to the severity of his chest wound.
During a press conference called by authorities to explain the incident, around 50 members of the deceased child’s family attended and protested against police violence. Utica Police Chief Mark Williams explained that the boy pulled out what appeared to be a Glock pistol during the chase, which later turned out to be a compressed air pistol.
Three officers involved in the incident have been suspended from employment without pay, and their names will soon be published. An internal investigation is underway, and police have stated that the video circulated on social media does not show the entire incident. The mayor of Utica, Michael Galime, also attended the press conference and described the incident as a routine search that quickly led to tragedy. He promised to release the body camera footage worn by the officers involved in the incident.