Anger erupts after police fatally shoot 13-year-old holding replica gun in New York

Locals in Utica staged a vigil while others protested agains New York police after a 13-year-old boy was shot dead on Friday night.

Authorities said the teen, a Karen refugee from Myanmar, displayed what looked like a gun. It was later found to be a replica.

The police stated in a news release Saturday night that three officers had stopped two teenagers around 10 pm local time Friday.

This action was part of an investigation into several recent robberies. While the officers were questioning the teens, one fled on foot, according to police.

Utica Police Chief Mark Williams said during a Saturday morning news conference that as the teen ran, officers saw what appeared to be a handgun.

The community members at the conference frequently interrupted Williams, expressing their outrage.

One of the officers fired his weapon and struck the teen, who was described as an Asian male.

"A Utica police officer ultimately discharged his firearm once, striking the male, during a ground struggle," Williams said.

He stated that the teenager, identified as 13-year-old Nyah Mway, received immediate first aid from officers at the scene and was transported to Wynn Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Williams mentioned that after the shooting, officers recovered a pellet gun that resembled a Glock 17 handgun with a detachable magazine.

"Ultimately, this replica handgun was determined to be a pellet gun," Williams revealed.

The officer responsible for the fatal shooting of Mway was named as Patrick Husnay, a six-year veteran of the Utica Police Department.

Police stated that two other officers, Bryce Patterson and Andrew Citriniti, were also part of the incident involving Mway.

According to a statement released Saturday night, police mentioned that the three officers were conducting patrols in the area following reports of at least two recent robberies.

Police stated that the three officers approached the two teens because they matched the descriptions of suspects involved in recent robberies and were in the vicinity shortly after a robbery occurred.

On Saturday night, police also released footage from body cameras worn by all three officers, along with a photo of the pellet gun that was recovered.

According to the footage, the teen identified as Mway fled immediately after being stopped by officers. While running, he briefly pointed what police described as the pellet gun at the pursuing officers.

Within 15 to 20 seconds of the chase beginning, the footage shows Patterson tackling Mway on a sidewalk. During the struggle, Husnay approached and fired a single shot.

Police acknowledged the existence of a separate cell phone video of the incident circulating on social media, stating it does not capture the entire sequence of events.

The New York attorney general's office announced Saturday night that it has initiated an investigation into the shooting.

Utica police stated they are conducting their own investigation and have placed all three officers on paid administrative leave.

An interpreter was present at the tense news conference to translate for the victim's family and community members. Utica Mayor Michael Galime intervened, urging calm.

Galime emphasised the gravity of the situation and expressed a commitment to thorough understanding of every aspect.

The ethnicity of the victim's family was not disclosed, but Utica has resettled significant numbers of refugees in recent years, including many Asian refugees from Burma, such as the Karen ethnic group, as well as others like Vietnamese, Thai, and Cambodians. The city also hosts Bosnian and Dominican refugees, among others.

The Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees noted that just over 19% of Utica's population is foreign-born, highlighting the city's diverse demographic landscape.

Utica City School District interim superintendent Dr. Kathleen Davis commented on the incident, stating that it underscores the challenges faced by the community and expressing support for law enforcement efforts to maintain safety.