Police fatally shot a 13-year-old boy following a foot chase in upstate New York after the teenager displayed what appeared to be a handgun, the Utica Police Department said in a statement.
Officers stopped two teenagers around 10 p.m. local time Friday in Utica, a city of 64,000 in upstate New York located an hour's drive from Syracuse, police said. While authorities were questioning the teenagers, one of them fled on foot, according to the release.
As he ran, police spotted what “appeared to be a handgun” pointed at the officers. One of the officers fired his weapon, hitting the teenager, described as an Asian man. Police officers gave him immediate first aid and took him to Wynn Hospital where he died from his injuries, Utica Police Chief Mark Williams said at a news conference Saturday morning.
Officers said they found a replica Glock handgun with a detachable magazine after the shooting.
“This replica gun was ultimately found to be a pellet gun,” Williams said.
Authorities have not yet released the names of the 13-year-old who died or the officer who shot him until next of kin have been notified.
The interim superintendent of the Utica City School District issued a statement Saturday saying out of respect for the student's family, they would not release his name.
“This tragedy reminds us of the tremendous challenges facing our community, especially our partners in law enforcement, who work tirelessly to ensure our streets remain safe,” said Acting Superintendent , Dr. Kathleen Davis.
A social media video related to the incident has been circulating on the internet. Regarding the video, police said: “We are aware of a video of the incident circulating on social media platforms, which does not portray the incident in its entirety.”
Police said they are conducting an investigation following the shooting and said they will release elements related to the shooting in the coming days, including a critical incident brief and full body camera footage.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
