A 13-year-old boy identified as Nyah Mway was tragically killed by police officers Patrick Husnay, Bryce Patterson, and Andrew Citriniti in Utica, New York on June 29, 2024. According to various sources including The New York Times and Utica Observer-Dispatch, the incident occurred after Nyah was stopped by the Utica Police Department's Crime Prevention Unit at around 10:18 p.m. After being stopped, Nyah ran away and displayed what appeared to be a handgun. A foot chase ensued, resulting in a struggle on the ground where one of the officers ultimately discharged their firearm once, striking Nyah in the chest.
Nyah was taken to a hospital where he later died. The police recovered a replica Glock 17 Gen5 handgun with a detachable magazine at the scene. However, it was later determined that the weapon was actually a pellet gun.
The shooting sparked outrage in the community, leading to candlelight vigils and demands for accountability from Nyah's family and community leaders such as Kay Klo of Midtown Utica Community Center. The New York Attorney General Letitia James is also conducting an investigation into the incident.
Nyah was born in Myanmar and is a member of its Karen ethnic minority. He and his family came to the United States nine years ago seeking safety from conflict and violence in their home country.
The Utica Police Department has released body camera footage of the incident, which shows Nyah appearing to aim an object at the officers before they tackled him to the ground. However, some community members and activists have raised concerns about bias in media reporting and police actions towards minority communities in Utica and beyond.
This is a developing story, and more information will be provided as it becomes available.