Community in turmoil as Utica police release video of officer fatally shooting congolese teen on ground

Another reason to ban immigration.

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

READ MORE: Police in New York shoot and kill 13-year-old holding a pellet 
gun, authorities say

The teen was killed a little after 10 p.m. Friday in Utica after officers 
in the city about 240 miles (400 kilometers) northwest of Manhattan 
stopped two youths 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 area at around the same time the day after, police said. 
One was also walking in the road, a violation of state traffic law.

The body camera video released by police captures an officer saying he 
needs to pat them down to ensure they don’t have any weapons in their 
possession. Immediately one of the two, identified by police as as Nyah 
Mway, runs away.

Authorities froze frames of the video where a running Nyah Mway appears to 
point the gun at the pursuing officers. Police also edited the video to 
insert a red circle around the weapon to show it to viewers.

The officers believed it was a handgun, police said, but it was later 
determined to be a replica of a Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun with a detachable 
magazine.

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

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

The replica gun carried by the teen “is in all aspects a realistic 
appearing firearm with GLOCK markings, signatures, detachable magazine, 
and serial numbers,” Lt. Michael Curley, a police spokesperson, said via 
email. “However ultimately it fires only pellets or BB’s.”

A bystander video posted to Facebook shows one of the officers chasing 
after Nyah Mway and tackling him to the ground. It also shows the officer 
punching the teen as two other officers arrive. A gunshot rings out as the 
teen is on the ground and the officers quickly stand up.

The officer who fired his gun was identified as Patrick Husnay, a six-year 
veteran of the agency. Husnay and Officers Bryce Patterson and Andrew 
Citriniti were placed on administrative leave with pay.

The police body camera video shows a chaotic scene.

Nyah Mway points the replica handgun at the officers while he runs from 
them. The officers scream “gun!” to each other as they run. Patterson then 
tackles and punches Nyah Mway, and as the two are wrestling on the ground, 
Husnay opens fire.

Officers initially thought Nyah Mway may have shot himself, and Patterson 
says, “I don’t know if he shot me.” It is not clear whether he is 
referring to Nyah Mway or his fellow officer. Patterson was not struck.

Bystanders scream at the police throughout the recordings, and at one 
point an officer yells back: “We’re trying to save him right now!”

The other youth was detained in the back of a police vehicle and was not 
involved in the shooting.

During his “public safety statement,” a brief interview typically done in 
the aftermath of a police shooting to ensure there is no additional 
threat, Husnay said he fired one round “straight towards the ground.” He 
did not know whether Nyah Mway had fired at the officers but said he 
thought the weapon was a 22-caliber handgun.

The police department released the body camera videos following a public 
outcry as the shooting roiled Utica, a city with a population of 65,000. 
It is home to more than 4,200 people from Myanmar, according to The 
Center, a nonprofit that helps to resettle the refugees.

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

Karens are an ethnic minority among the groups warring with the military 
rulers of Myanmar, the Southeast Asian country formerly known as Burma. 
The army ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021 and 
suppressed widespread nonviolent protests that sought a return to 
democratic rule.

A tense news conference Saturday ended early as Williams, the city’s mayor 
and an interpreter struggled to speak over repeated audience outbursts. 
Members of the community, including the youth’s family, were in 
attendance.

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

“I want to offer my heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased 
party during this difficult time,” Williams said. “This is a tragic and 
traumatic incident for all involved.”

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/community-in-turmoil-as-utica-police-
release-video-of-officer-fatally-shooting-teen-on-ground