Every year, nearly 3000 children and teens die from gunfire, and nearly 14,000 are injured.

Monday, March 11, 2013

16-year old New York boy shot and killed by police

Kimani Gray, age 16
A 16-year old boy in Brooklyn, named Kimani Gray, had just come from a party when he was seen by two plainclothes police "adjusting his waistband" in a "suspicious manner."

They confronted Kimani, at which point they said that the boy pulled out a loaded six-shot revolver.  The police then shot at Kimani 11 times, hitting him multiple times.  He soon died.  He never fired his weapon.

From an article:

The police said the officers, patrolling in an unmarked car in East Flatbush, came upon the teenager, identified as Kimani Gray, 16, in a group of men just before 11:30 p.m. 
The teenager separated himself from the group and adjusted his waistband in what the police described as a suspicious manner. 
As officers got out of the car to question him, Mr. Gray turned and pointed a .38-caliber Rohm revolver at them, the police said; two officers fired, hitting the teenager. 
He was pronounced dead a short time later at Kings County Hospital Center. 
Mr. Gray did not fire the handgun, which was recovered at the scene. Paul J. Browne, the chief spokesman for the Police Department, said the six-shot revolver was loaded with four live rounds. 
“After the anti-crime sergeant and police officer told the suspect to show his hands, which was heard by witnesses, Gray produced a revolver and pointed it at the officers, who fired a total of 11 rounds, striking Gray several times,” Mr. Browne said. 
Mr. Gray’s sister, Mahnefah Gray, 19, said that a witness to the shooting told her that her brother had been fixing his belt when he was shot. She, among others who knew Mr. Gray, said they had never known him to have a gun. Even if he had one on Saturday night, he would not have pointed it at police officers, Ms. Gray said. 
“He has common sense,” she said. 
A woman who lives across the street from the shooting scene said that after the shots were fired, she saw two men, whom she believed to be plainclothes officers, standing over Mr. Gray, who was prone on the sidewalk, clutching his stomach. 
“He said, ‘Please don’t let me die,’ ” said the woman, 46, who gave her name only as Vanessa. One of the officers, she said, replied: “Stay down, or we’ll shoot you again.” 
A cousin of Mr. Gray’s, Malike Vernon, 17, said that Mr. Gray had been at a party Saturday night in the area where he was killed. Mr. Gray, who was of Guyanese and Jamaican descent, grew up in the neighborhood, Mr. Vernon said.

(a related article, questioning the police choices)

The article didn't say where he got the gun and ammo.

Every gun in the hands of a child must first pass through the hands of an adult.

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