A 13-year old black boy, Tyree King, has been killed by a white police officer in Columbus, Ohio. King was fatally shot in an alley after police responded to an armed robbery report on Wednesday.
He was shot after he appeared to have pulled out a weapon that was later determined to be a BB gun.
Replica of BB gun
The police released name of the police officer that killed Tyree King to be a nine-year old police veteran, Bryan Mason, and he has been placed on temporary administrative duty.
The Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs in a news conference said;
We consider it a tragedy when something like this happens,This is the last thing any police officer wants.
How It Happened
It was before 8pm on Wednesday when the police responded to a report of armed robbery in the area. The victim said that a group of male had demanded money from him, and also threatened him with a gun.
After a short time, the police found a matching description of three males, including King. While the police tried to question King and his friends, they fled into an alley.
Police ran after King, and officer Mason shot King after he pulled out what appears to be a handgun from his waistband.
He was transported to the Nationwide Children's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The second suspect was interviewed by the police, and was later allowed to go.
Did He Robbed The Victim?
The other suspect the police apprehended was interviewed and later ask to go by the police. The suspect, identified as Demetrius Braxton, 19, said that he was with King during the robbery and also during the shooting.
According to Columbus Dispatch newspaper, Braxton said;
I was in the situation. We robbed somebody, the people I was with. The cops said to get down. We got down but my friend (King) got up and ran.
He started to run. When he ran, the cops shot him.
Braxton said that King was shot four or five times, asking "Why didn't they tase him?"