A video released late Saturday depicts a police officer in Utica, New York fatally shooting a 13-year-old boy after he fled from police and pointed a replica handgun at them. The incident occurred a little after 10 p.m. on Friday during a stop related to an armed robbery investigation, where both youths involved matched suspect descriptions.
According to Utica Police Chief Mark Williams, body camera footage shows one of the youths, identified as Nyah Mway, running away after officers attempted to pat them down for weapons. Mway allegedly pointed what appeared to be a handgun at pursuing officers. Police later determined it was a replica Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun that fires pellets or BBs.
During a struggle on the ground, an officer, identified as Patrick Husnay, fired a single shot that struck Mway in the chest. Despite immediate first aid by officers and transport to Wynn Hospital, Mway succumbed to his injuries.
The incident, captured amidst a chaotic scene as bystanders filmed and officers reacted to what they believed was an immediate threat, has sparked outcry and raised questions about police procedures. Officers involved, including Husnay, have been placed on administrative leave pending investigations by the police department and the state attorney general.
Nyah Mway, reportedly an 8th grader at Donovan Middle School and a member of the Karen ethnic minority from Myanmar, was described by community members as a refugee. The shooting has intensified scrutiny on police actions and procedures in Utica, prompting calls for transparency and justice from the community and beyond.
