13-year-old with BB gun killed by police in Ohio
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Columbus Police Chief Kim Jacobs held up a photo showing the type of BB gun that police say a 13-year-old boy pulled from his waistband just before he was shot and killed by police investigating an armed robbery report.
COLUMBUS, Ohio » The fatal police shooting of a 13-year-old Columbus boy who officers said pulled a BB gun from his waistband that looked like a real weapon will be investigated thoroughly to determine if charges are warranted.
In a killing with unavoidable echoes of the Tamir Rice case out of Cleveland, a Columbus officer responding to a report of a $10 armed robbery shot a young boy Wednesday night after he pulled out a BB gun that looked “practically identical” to the weapon that police officers use, authorities said.
Evidence from the shooting will automatically be presented to a grand jury to determine whether the officer’s actions were justified.
Mayor Andrew Ginther appeared to choke up Thursday as he called for the community to come together and questioned why an eighth-grader would have a replica of a police firearm.
“There is something wrong in this country, and it is bringing its epidemic to our city streets,” Ginther said Thursday. “And a 13-year-old is dead in the city of Columbus because of our obsession with guns and violence.”
Dozens attended a vigil Thursday night near the shooting, including members of Tyre King’s youth football team. Some carried signs calling for justice for Tyre, while candles spelled out “RIP Tyre King.”
The boy’s family called for an investigation conducted “in a manner that ensures fairness and truth,” and said people shouldn’t rush to judgment about Tyre’s activities that night.
Police and city authorities also promised a full investigation, while rejecting comparisons to the 2014 killing of 12-year-old Tamir in Cleveland.
Officers investigating the robbery report east of downtown Columbus spotted three males who matched the description of the suspects, authorities said. Two of the males ran away when officers tried to speak with them.
The police chased the pair into an alley and tried to take them into custody. Tyre pulled out a gun with a laser sight, and an officer fired, hitting the boy multiple times, police said. Tyre later died at a hospital.
The officer was identified as Bryan Mason, a nine-year veteran of the force. Police records show that in 2012 he shot and killed a man who was holding another person at gunpoint. The Columbus Dispatch said investigators cleared him.
In keeping with department policy, Mason has been placed on leave while Tyre’s shooting is investigated. A call to the head of the police union representing him was not immediately returned.
An attorney for Tyre’s family, Sean Walton, called for an independent investigation. Walton would not discuss any previous dealings Tyre had with police but said the boy had no violent criminal history. He said the family believes Tyre’s involvement in an armed robbery would be “out of character.”
Tyre played several sports, including football, and was in the young scholars program at school, Walton said. He had a slight build and, if anything, was on the small side for his age, the attorney said.
In Tamir’s case, a 911 caller reported someone pointing a gun at people near a recreation center. A rookie officer shot the boy almost immediately after pulling up in his cruiser. The officer and his partner were cleared of wrongdoing.
The 911 caller had said the person with the gun was probably a juvenile and the weapon was probably fake, but that information was never passed on to the officers.
19 responses to “13-year-old with BB gun killed by police in Ohio”
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lets see, he robs someone at night with a replica gun. Then when cops come to arrest him, he pulls it out at them. Black lives matter? I guess… but Darwin awards matter more.
Let’s see, two days, three murders and a hate-based arson make the news, yet you only inject your particular sociopolitical expertise and your sharp-as-a-party-balloon wit under this one. The other two must have been unsatisfactory in some way.
“sharp as a party baloon”, so funny. Remainder of comment is junk, but the balloon thing is so funny.
so, you are the leader of the university of houston black lives matter protest raging against police killings and harassment of blacks.
then, you are robbed at night, at your doorstep, at gunpoint, by a black male whose life matters.
who do you call? your fellow black lives matter protesters?
no, you weasel out and call the houston police. the same houston police you protest against. then you get on social media and complain about the lack of police to monitor the blacks whose lives matter.
http://abc13.com/news/students-concerned-about-increased-crime-near-uh/1504487/
more of George Soros and his son causing trouble to destroy us and other countries with his money. remember it was in the news he gave 33 million dollars to the BLM radical group to start this trouble. Interpol should go and arrest Soros and his son for committing these crimes. the parents will get a good compensation from Soros and company BLM for there son’s sacrifice.
Posted my comment before reading yours. Different players but nearly the same general idea..
Pitin has an international arrest warrant out for Soros, but Osamabama wont extradite.
Sometimes or something is going on … Is it possible these scenes are diliberate staged to give cause for riots and chaos? To create disharmony among us which in turn weaken our country within? An intention by our enemies in order to conquer us slowly and deliberately ? Far fetch but I wouldn’t be surprise the race card is our nemesis and our down fall by the greater and sophisticated world of our unknown enemies! Youngsters and their families are being taking advantage with monetary lure and naïveté of the general situation. Coincidence? Too many similarities , same scenarios, youngster shot by a cop, etc…..
Blue lives matter. I would hate to be a street cop and have to make these life or death decisions. In combat–no one questions, but with the police, someone behind the comfort of a desk holds the big R card and the community loots in the boy’s “honor”.
So true!
Ooh! But he was a good boy. Yeah right. By the way, why isn’t Klastri defending his brothers?
Perfectly justified shooting. The cop is the victim – distressed he had to do it.
What is Kaepernick thinking tonight.
Sounds like a good clean kill. Point a gun, any gun at a cop and you DEAD!
I thought fake guns are suppose to have an orange tip?
Have seen guns that are pink, red, what everyone color your want, they look like toys. Seen guns with them tips painted orange. This requirement various from city to city.
Ever
Sensationalism Reporting !!!
The title should have been:
13-year-old who pulled BB gun killed by police.
And it is foul to report simultaneously that the cop killed another man. Has nothing to do with this case and the first killing was absolutely necessary to kill a threatening criminal.