Fury after Utica cop shoots 13-year-old boy who ‘flaunted handgun’ that turned out to be pellet gun

Utica police officers were greeted by angry community members at a news conference after a 13-year-old boy was fatally shot by an officer.

Speaking to the press, community members and family members of the victim, Police Chief Mark Williams was forced to pause midway through his statement and resume after the room descended into screams and chaos. Things escalated when Chief Williams described the events of the stop that led police to shoot the boy “in the chest.”

“On June 28 at approximately 10:18 p.m., Utica Police Officers assigned to the Crime Prevention Unit stopped two males in the 900 block of Shaw Street as part of a police investigation. During the stop, one of the males fled on foot. While fleeing, the male displayed what appeared to be a handgun.”

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That’s when community members began to raise their voices, shouting at the idea of ​​a boy that age holding a gun. The victim’s family was present at the conference, and one person could be heard reminding them and asking people to “keep our thoughts in mind” out of “respect for the victim’s family.”

Chief Williams continued his statement by saying, “An officer ultimately discharged his firearm once, striking the male during a struggle on the ground. The victim is described as a 13-year-old Asian male who received immediate first aid at the scene by officers and was later transported to the hospital where, unfortunately, he succumbed to his injuries. Officers recovered a replica Glock 17 pistol with a detachable magazine. This replica pistol was ultimately determined to be a pellet gun.”

The police chief assured the public that a full investigation was underway and that they would “release the names of the officers involved” in the “near future.” He added that the police department would “release full body camera footage of the officer involved, unedited.”

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The officer involved in the shooting has not been named, but has been placed on “administrative leave with pay until further notice,” prompting cries of “no pay” from the audience. Mayor Michael Galime described the incident as “an event that has become all too familiar and routine,” saying the stop “became tragic in a matter of moments.”

He then promised full transparency and “to make sure the community can understand how to be a part of this process as each piece unfolds.” Mayor Galime concluded by saying, “I can’t express, in words, that this point cannot change what has changed forever since last night. Our condolences to the families, the community and all of Utica and the surrounding area for what is happening during this event.”

In an initial statement, Utica police said officers arrested two juveniles around 10:15 p.m. in the 900 block of Shaw Street as part of a police investigation. However, police said one of the juveniles ran away during the stop. In a statement, police said the juvenile appeared to have what looked like a handgun and one of the officers fired, hitting the 13-year-old boy. The boy was taken to Wynn Hospital where he died from his injuries.

WKTV reports that a fight broke out between officers and the boys during the traffic stop. In a video shared on social media, a man can be seen running away as two officers chase him before falling to the ground, followed by a gunshot being heard.

A woman can be heard yelling in the background saying “caution, watch out” and “get up” and after the gunshot is heard the woman can be heard saying “oh my god, he just shot her.” The initial statement from Utica police reads: “On June 28, 2024, at approximately 10:18 p.m., Utica Police officers conducted a traffic stop on two juveniles in the 900 block of Shaw St as part of a police investigation.

“During the stop, one of the juveniles fled from the officers. During his escape, the juvenile displayed what appeared to be a handgun and a Utica police officer fired his firearm, striking the juvenile. The 13-year-old Asian juvenile was transported to Wynn Hospital where he unfortunately succumbed to his injuries. Our hearts go out to our officers involved and the family of the deceased juvenile.