13-year-old shot and killed by police, claiming he pointed ‘replica’ gun at officers

UTICA, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — A 13-year-old accused of pointing a pellet gun at police chasing after him was shot and killed by one of the officers late Friday night, the Utica Police Department said.

In a chaotic press conference Saturday morning, disrupted by members of the public shouting at police, Utica Police Chief Mark Williams says he wasn’t ready to say what initial incident caused officers to stop the 13-year-old and the other person he was with.

When officers attempted to stop the pair around 10:18pm Friday on Shaw Street, the 13-year-old ran from police.

Police claim, during the chase, “what appeared to be a handgun was pointed at the officer.”

The chief said the weapon was determined to be a “replica GLOCK 17 Gen 5 handgun with a detachable magazine.” The chief called it a pellet gun.

At that time, the officer fired once and hit the victim. The chief said emergency services were provided to him at the scene, but he died after being brought to the hospital.

The teen’s name is Nyah Mway, his uncle confirms to ABC News.

The officers involved, who are on paid administrative leave per policy, have not been named publicly.

Per state regulation, the State Attorney General’s Office will lead an investigation into the justification of the officers’ actions. Utica Police says its conducting its own internal review.

The department commits to releasing footage from the officer’s uniform-worn camera in the days ahead.

“We are aware of a video of the incident circulating on social media platforms, which does not portray the incident in its entirety; we ask that the public obtains all of the information that will be made available when reviewing this tragic incident,” wrote the police spokesperson.

He added: “We again offer our condolences to the family of the deceased juvenile during this very difficult time, as well as the many lives that this has now permanently changed within our community.”

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The State Attorney General’s Office issued the following statement late Saturday:

Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation Opens Investigation into Civilian Death in Utica

NEW YORK — The New York Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigation has opened an investigation into the death of Nyah Mway, who died on June 29, 2024 after an encounter with the Utica Police Department (UPD) in Utica.

In the early morning hours of June 29, UPD officers approached 13-year-old Nyah Mway, who reportedly displayed what appeared to be a handgun. A struggle ensued, during which an officer fired his service weapon, striking Mway. Mway was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Officers recovered a BB gun at the scene.

Pursuant to New York State Executive Law Section 70-b, OSI assesses every incident reported to it where a police officer or a peace officer, including a corrections officer, may have caused the death of a person by an act or omission. Under the law, the officer may be on-duty or off-duty, and the decedent may be armed or unarmed. Also, the decedent may or may not be in custody or incarcerated. If OSI’s assessment indicates an officer may have caused the death, OSI proceeds to conduct a full investigation of the incident. These are preliminary facts and subject to change.

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