Ohio -13 year old boy with BB gun shot by police
Columbus, Ohio – A 13 year old boy was shot and killed by police after reaching for a pistol in his waistband that was later identified as a BB gun. The boy was 13 year old Tyree King.
.@ColumbusPolice say this is a replica of the BB gun found at the scene when 13y/o #TyreeKing was shot & killed pic.twitter.com/4WIMQcLH6c
— WSYX ABC 6 (@wsyx6) September 15, 2016
#TyreeKing, killed in officer-involved shooting, was 8th grader at Linden McKinley STEM https://t.co/maPUiiEZzv pic.twitter.com/4yM8MQcCkF
— WSYX ABC 6 (@wsyx6) September 15, 2016
MyFoxColumbus reported,
“Police chief Kim Jacobs says the officers were initially called out to a report of an armed robbery in the area of S. 18th and Capital Streets around 7:42 pm. The victim gave police descriptions of a group of individuals who he said approached him, showed a gun, and demanded money. Officers said the robbery victim has knowledge of guns, and thought it was a real weapon when they talked to him.
Responding officers said a short time later they saw King and two others males matching the descriptions from the robbery on Hoffman Street, just a short distance away from the robbery scene.”
Police gave chase to the males, and when confronting them just a few blocks away from the scene, King is said to have pulled the BB gun from his waistband. Officer Bryan Mason, a 9 year veteran of the Columbus Police Department, opened fired and shot him multiple times.
King died later at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
NEW: This BB gun is similar to what police say 13yo Tyree King had when an officer shot him. Package has a warning. pic.twitter.com/HtIMVNCrrg
— Mike McCarthy (@mikewsyx6) September 15, 2016
The BB gun used in this incident has a warning label on the original box: “do not brandish or display this product in public, as people may become confused…”
Police stated that it was nearly identical to the guns police carry, and even had a laser light mounted beneath the barrel.
If the kids thought it was funny to attempt to rob someone with a fake gun, the survivors now understand that was not the case. One male who was with King has been released, but police say there may be charges later.
