13-year-old boy shot and killed by police after chase in New York

A 13-year-old boy was shot and killed by a police officer in Utica, New York, after a foot chase Friday night, according to police.

The boy was one of two juveniles stopped by the Utica Police Department’s Crime Prevention Unit about 10:18 p.m., police said. After they were stopped, the 13-year-old ran and displayed “what appeared to be a handgun,” police said in a statement.

After a struggle on the ground, a police officer “ultimately discharged his firearm once, striking the male,” Police Chief Mark Williams said at a news conference Saturday.

Lay Htoo, a close relative of the boy, identified him as Nyah Mway.

Nyah was taken to a hospital, where he died, police said. Later, officers recovered a replica of a Glock 17 Gen5 handgun with a detachable magazine, according to the news release.

The replica was determined to be a pellet gun, according to Williams.

On Saturday evening, police confirmed the boy’s identity and identified three officers involved. Patrick Husnay, a six-year veteran of the Utica Police Department, was the officer who shot Nyah, police said. The others were identified as Bryce Patterson, a four-year veteran, and Andrew Citriniti, who has been on the force for 2 1/2 years.

The officers stopped the boys while investigating recent robberies in the area, in which the suspects were described as Asian males who brandished a black firearm and forcibly demanded and stole property from victims, police said in a statement.

The police department also released a series of videos from the officers’ body-worn cameras. In one clip, an officer approaches the two boys, one of whom is seated on a bicycle. Two other officers approach and begin circling the boys with their flashlights. The first officer then asks if they can pat down the boys to “make sure you have no weapons on you.”

At that point, one of the boys takes off running.

In footage that has been slowed down, it appears that the boy turns while holding something that looks like a handgun. At that point, the officer chasing him yells “Gun!” and tackles him.

As they struggle on the ground, a gunshot can be heard.

The officers involved were put on administrative leave with pay, Williams said.