On Friday night, a 13-year-old boy named Nyah Mway of Burmese origin was shot by an officer in Utica, New York. The incident occurred around 10:20 p.m., when the boy and another minor were stopped by police while walking down the street. According to police reports, the boy was carrying a compressed air pistol at the time of the shooting.
A video that circulated on social media showed the boy running down a dark street while being chased by three police officers. One of the officers managed to knock the child down, and the others joined in as onlookers criticized the agents for their actions. Despite this, it was later revealed that the boy died at Wynn Hospital in Utica due to severe chest injuries caused by his gunshot wound.
During a press conference called by authorities to explain the incident, around 50 members of Nyah’s family attended and protested against police violence. Utica Police Chief Mark Williams explained that during the chase, Nyah pulled out what appeared to be a Glock pistol, which turned out to be a compressed air pistol. This revelation sparked outrage among those present at the press conference and raised questions about why police officers were so quick to fire their weapons without identifying them first.
In response to these concerns, Chief Williams also announced that three officers involved in the incident had been suspended from employment without pay pending an internal investigation into what went wrong during this tragic event. The mayor of Utica, Michael Galime, also spoke at length about how this incident highlights an urgent need for reforms within law enforcement agencies across America and urged citizens not to tolerate any form of violence or abuse from those who are sworn to protect them.
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