Boy, 13, Shot and Killed by Police: 'I Will Never Get to See Him Grow Up,' Sister Says

Nyah Mway was shot on Friday, June 28, in Utica, New York, while allegedly wielding a replica handgun

A 13-year-old boy was shot and killed by police in Utica, New York, earlier this week.

Officer Patrick Husnay shot Nyah Mway on Friday, June 28, after the teen allegedly pulled out what appeared to be a handgun during an attempted frisking, according to a news release from the Utica Police Department.

Around 10 p.m. local time, Husney and two other Utica police officers, Bryce Patterson and Andrew Citriniti, were patrolling an area of the city, where “at least two” robberies had occurred recently.

Based on the characteristics of suspects in a June 27 robbery, the officers approached Mway and another unidentified juvenile, also 13, who “were in the immediate vicinity of the previous robbery at nearly the same time of day,” the release said.

The officers attempted to conduct a citizen stop of the two teens. But, while attempting to frisk Mway, the teen fled and pulled out “what appeared to be a handgun,” according to initial information provided by police.

Mway allegedly pulled the item, which was later identified as a “a replica GLOCK pellet gun,” in front of his body and pointed it “directly” at the officers, police said.

Officer Husnay then fired his duty weapon at Mway, striking him, police said. The teen was transported to a local hospital, where he died as a result of the shooting wound.

The Utica Police Department publicized photos of the pellet gun and bodycam footage of the incident.

In a statement, the department said, “Our thoughts are with our officers involved, and the family of the deceased juvenile.”

There are two active investigations into the fatal shooting, the NYS Attorney General’s and the Utica Police Department’s Professional Standards internal investigation, per police.

Authorities said the three officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave, ABC News reported.

“As in any Officer Involved Shooting investigation it is within the purview of the NYS Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigations to determine whether the shooting violated any state laws,” the release said. "However, we felt it prudent to ensure the entirety of the evidence we have available at this time is shared publicly – keeping with our commitment to transparency.”

“It is our sincerest desire that at the conclusion of these investigations an impartial, fair, and thorough investigation will have been completed, giving answers to any remaining lingering questions,” the release added.

A vigil was held for Mway in Utica on Saturday, June 29, about 24 hours after he was shot, per ABC News. Hundreds of people attended, and several people spoke, including members of the victim’s family.

A GoFundMe page was created by Mway’s sister, Thoung Oo, to “raise funds for his funeral, legal expenses to seek justice, and family expenses including counseling,” Oo said that her brother “was returning home from an 8th grade graduation barbecue” at the time of the shooting.

“He has never gotten in trouble with law enforcement before, he was a good kid,” Oo wrote. “The UPD video cam, the witness testimonies, and stories they told my family don't add up, especially when they told my parents (who don't speak English at all) that there was a shoot out. We need answers."

Oo also said that Mway “had just graduated from 8th grade two days prior and was excited to start high school this Fall," adding, "Because of this tragedy, I will never get to see him grow up."

She further explained that their family — Mway’s mother, father and three siblings — moved to the United States from Myanmar when Mway was just a small child. “Our family moved to America nine years ago as refugees from Myanmar to find a better life safe from law enforcement killings and ethnic cleansing,” she wrote.

“My brother was an outgoing kid who loved to be outside biking and playing with his friends and family,” she continued, adding, “Our parents and grandparents did not flee war & corrupt military to be persecuted by American police.”

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