A tragic incident in Utica, New York, has left a community reeling after a 13-year-old boy, Nyah Mway, was fatally shot by a police officer. The incident occurred late Friday after officers stopped two youths, including Mway, who matched descriptions of suspects in an armed robbery investigation.
When officers attempted to pat down the youths, Mway ran away. Body camera footage released by police shows Mway appearing to point a gun at pursuing officers. The video was edited with a red circle highlighting the object, which officers initially believed to be a handgun. However, police later confirmed it was a replica Glock 17 with a detachable magazine.
During a struggle with Mway on the ground, one officer fired a single shot that struck the teen in the chest. Officers immediately provided first aid, but Mway was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The officer who fired the gun, Patrick Husnay, a six-year veteran, was placed on administrative leave with pay, along with two other officers involved. The shooting sparked public outrage, prompting the release of the body camera footage.
Utica, a city with a large Burmese refugee community, was shaken by the incident. Mway, a Karen refugee and an eighth-grader at Donovan Middle School, was described as a kind and well-liked young man.
The Karen people, an ethnic minority in Myanmar, have faced oppression under the country’s military rulers.
The police department is conducting an internal investigation to determine if officers followed policies and training, and the state attorney general is investigating whether the shooting was justified. This incident highlights the ongoing concerns surrounding police brutality and the use of deadly force against individuals, particularly those from marginalized communities.
