What we know about the fatal police shooting of a 13-year-old in Utica, New York

Who was the victim?

Mway, whose surname is Nyah, was a Karen refugee born in Myanmar. He had just finished high school and was set to start high school in the fall.

His grieving relatives and other members of the local Karen community he called on the police to hold her accountable for what they considered an unjust killing because Mway was already incapacitated and lying on the ground when he was shot.

The teen’s family said Monday they are waiting for the medical examiner’s office to release his body so they can make funeral arrangements. The Onondaga County Health Department said the cause and manner of death are still unclear and an autopsy report has not been released.

Mway’s cousin, Lay Htoo, told the Associated Press that the family came to the U.S. for an education and good jobs, hoping for a peaceful life after decades of unrest and violence in Myanmarwhere a civil war is raging.

Who are the officers?

The police have the names of three officers were revealed who were involved in the incident, said they were assigned to the crime prevention unit. Patrick Husnay, a six-year veteran of the department, was the officer who shot the boy.

The other officers involved in the case are Bryce Patterson, who has been with the department for four years, and Andrew Citriniti, a two-year veteran of the department who previously served with the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office.

All three remain on paid administrative leave, which is standard in cases involving police shootings, department spokesman Lt. Michael Curley confirmed Monday.

What is seen in the body camera footage?

Movies released late Saturday evening show a scene of chaos.

The video shows an officer saying he needs to search two teens standing on the sidewalk to make sure they don’t have any weapons. One of them runs down the street, pretending to hold a dark object as he runs away.

The officers shout “gun!” before one of them attacks and punches him. Another officer opens fire as the two struggle on the ground.

On the recordings, onlookers can be heard shouting at police. At one point, one of the officers responds: “We’re trying to save him right now!”

What weapons were brandished?

According to police, the pellet gun Mway pointed to closely resembled a Glock 17 Gen 5 pistol with a removable magazine.

Department published images showing that the device did not have the orange stripe on the barrel that many BB gun manufacturers have added in recent years to distinguish their products from real firearms.

What did the officials say?

Police Chief Mark Williams said officers detained the teenagers because they matched the description of suspects in recent robberies in the area.

He added that the suspects in those cases were Asian men — one on foot and the other riding a bicycle — who were brandishing black firearms.

Mayor Michael Galime spoke on Saturday and met privately with the family. He also addressed the Karen community during a controversial meeting Sunday at a local church, rejecting suggestions that the shooting was an act of bias.

“What I saw on the body camera footage and all the reports I read leading up to this incident, there was no reference or indication that there was any racism,” Galime told the crowd.

Michael Gentile, his chief of staff, declined to provide details Monday, saying the mayor “was asked a direct question about racism and he gave a direct answer that has not changed.”

What is the Karen community?

Karen are ethnic minority belonging to groups fighting against the military leadership of Myanmar, formerly Burma.

Utica, a city of over 65,000 people, is home to over 4,200 people from Myanmar, According to The Center, a non-profit organization assisting with refugee resettlement.

They are among thousands refugees from different countries who settled in the area in recent decades and who now make up, by some estimates, over 20% of the population of the now-defunct Rust Belt.

What’s next?

State Attorney General Letitia James’ office is leading an investigation to determine whether police used reasonable force, which is standard procedure in police-involved shootings.

Her office said Monday that the investigation was ongoing and that it could not provide a timeline for its completion.

The police department is conducting its own investigation to determine whether officers followed proper procedures, policies and training.

Curley said Monday that any additional details regarding the shooting investigation would be obtained from James’ office.

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Associated Press radio reporter Julie Walker contributed to this report.

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