Video shows New York officer fatally shooting 13-year-old on ground. Police say he pointed replica gun

NEW YORK (AP) — Video released late Saturday shows an upstate New York police officer fatally shooting a 13-year-old boy who was pinned to the ground after he ran from police and pointed a replica handgun at them.

The teenager was killed Friday night in Utica after officers in the city, about 250 miles (400 kilometers) northwest of Manhattan, arrested two youths shortly after 10 p.m. in connection with an armed robbery investigation, police said.

The youths, both 13, matched the descriptions of the robbery suspects and were in the same neighborhood around the same time the next day, police said. One of them was also walking in the road, which is a violation of state traffic laws.

Body camera video released by police shows an officer saying he has to search them to make sure they don't have any weapons in their possession. Immediately, one of the two men, identified by police as Nyah Mway, runs away.

The authorities have frozen the images of the video where Nyah Mway appears to be pointing his gun at the police officers who are chasing him. Police also edited the video to insert a red circle around the gun to show it to viewers.

Officers thought it was a handgun, police said, but it was later determined to be a replica of a Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun with a magazine removable.

“During a struggle on the ground” with the teen, one of the officers fired a single shot that struck the boy in the chest, Williams said.

The teen received “immediate” first aid from officers and was taken to Wynn Hospital, where he died, the chief said.

The replica gun carried by the teen “is in all respects a realistic-looking firearm with GLOCK markings, signatures, detachable magazine and serial numbers,” said Lt. Michael Curley, police spokesperson, by email. “However, at the end of the day, he only shoots pellets or BBs.”

A video posted on Facebook shows one of the officers chasing Nyah Mway and pinning him to the ground. The officer is also seen punching the teenager as two other officers arrive. A gunshot rings out as the teenager is on the ground and the officers quickly get up.

The officer who fired his weapon has been identified as Patrick Husnay, a six-year veteran of the agency. Husnay and officers Bryce Patterson and Andrew Citriniti have been placed on paid administrative leave.

The police department released the body camera video following a public outcry as the shooting raged in Utica, a city of more than 65,000 people about 250 miles (400 kilometers) northwest of Manhattan. It is home to more than 4,200 people from Myanmar, according to The Center, a nonprofit that helps resettle refugees.

Nyah Mway, who local media reported was an 8th grader at Donovan Middle School, was identified as a Myanmar-born refugee and member of the Karen ethnic minority.

The Karen are an ethnic minority who are among the groups at war with the military rulers of the Southeast Asian country formerly known as Burma. The military overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021 and cracked down on many nonviolent protests that sought a return to democratic rule.

During a tense news conference Saturday, Williams would not say what prompted police to arrest the two youths or what the investigation was about. The news conference ended early as Williams, the city mayor and an interpreter struggled to speak despite repeated outbursts from the audience. Members of the community, including the young person's family, were present.

The police department is conducting its own internal investigation to determine whether officers followed policies and training. The state attorney general will open his own investigation to determine whether the shooting was justified.

“I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the family of the deceased at this difficult time,” Williams said. “This is a tragic and traumatic incident for all involved.”

Dazio reported from Los Angeles. Follow Philip Marcelo on twitter.com/philmarcelo.