Utica, New York – A tragic incident unfolded in upstate New York when a 13-year-old boy was fatally shot by a police officer after he pointed a replica handgun at them. The incident occurred late on a Friday night in Utica, approximately 240 miles northwest of Manhattan, during an armed robbery investigation. The body camera footage released by the police shows the tense moments leading up to the shooting, where the teenager, identified as Nyah Mway, ran from the officers and brandished the replica weapon.
The officers, who stopped two youths matching the description of the robbery suspects, attempted to pat them down for weapons when Nyah Mway fled. The video shows him pointing the replica handgun at the officers as he ran, prompting the fatal shot to be fired. Although the officers believed it was a real handgun, it was later confirmed to be a replica model.
Following the shooting, the officers provided immediate first aid to the boy but he succumbed to his injuries after being taken to the hospital. The chaos of the situation is evident in the body camera footage, with officers yelling “gun!” and a bystander video capturing the moment when the fatal shot was fired.
Nyah Mway, a refugee from Myanmar and a member of the Karen ethnic minority, was an 8th grader at Donovan Middle School at the time of the incident. The shooting has sparked outrage in the community, with calls for justice and accountability from both local residents and advocacy groups.
The Utica Police Department has launched an internal investigation to determine if the officers followed proper procedures and training during the encounter. Additionally, the state attorney general will conduct a separate inquiry to ascertain the justification behind the use of lethal force in this case.
The tragic death of Nyah Mway has highlighted the complexities faced by refugees and minority communities in the United States. The incident has also reignited discussions on police training, accountability, and the use of deadly force in law enforcement interactions with minors. As the community grapples with the aftermath of the shooting, questions remain about the circumstances leading up to the fatal encounter and the implications for policing practices moving forward.