After police shooting, Utica, N.Y. community seeks answers in teen’s death

A community of Southeast Asians in Utica, New York, are seeking answers and justice after a 13-year-old Karen refugee was fatally shot by the police. Nyah Mway, who was involved in an armed robbery investigation, was shot after pointing a replica gun at officers. Members of the Karen community are outraged and are demanding answers regarding the use of excessive force. The community is grieving Nyah’s death and questioning if racial profiling was a factor in the incident. Body camera footage shows Nyah running from officers and pointing the replica gun before he was shot. The Karen community, who fled their country to escape oppression, is re-traumatized by Nyah’s death. There have been protests at City Hall demanding accountability and justice for Nyah. The police chief defended the officers’ actions, stating that they have to make split-second decisions in life-threatening situations. New York State Attorney General Letitia James is investigating the incident. Nyah’s family is devastated, stating that he was a good kid who had never been in trouble with the law before. The community is struggling to come to terms with the tragic loss of Nyah and is seeking answers to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com