Utica, N.Y. — Nyah Mway and his friend were stopped by Utica police Friday night by officers on the lookout for two suspects in past robberies and because they walked in the street.
Thirty-one seconds later, a 13-year-old boy was shot in the chest in a struggle with officers. Police say he pointed a gun at officers.
Nyah, who had just completed 8th grade, died at a hospital.
The fatal shooting caused protests at the Utica City Hall and a large vigil at the scene of the shooting. His family and friends are calling for more answers as to why the boy was shot.
Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard has created a video highlighting key moments of what happened in West Utica that night. The video was put together from three officers’ body cam videos, a video posted on social media by a witness and information from the Utica police.
It all started at 10:18 p.m. Friday when officers stopped Nyah and another 13-year-old boy in the 900 block of Shaw Street.
The three officers were patrolling the area because of two recent armed robberies including one the day before. In the most recent robbery, the robbers were described as “one Asian and one dark-skinned male, with one being on foot and the other on a bicycle,” police said.
The officers said they stopped Nyah and the other boy because they matched the basic descriptions of the robbers.
When an officer asked to pat frisk Nyah, he ran down the middle of the street.
During the chase, police say Nyah pointed at the officers what they thought was a gun but it turned out to be a pellet gun designed to look like a Glock handgun.
An officer tackled the boy, who still had the gun, and during the struggle another officer fatally shot Nyah.
The three officers are on paid leave: Bryce Patterson, Patrick Husnay and Andrew Citriniti. The state Attorney General’s Office, as required by law, is investigating.
Here are key moments on the video:
- Officer Bryce Patterson stops Nyah Mway and the other boy. He asks Nyah twice to keep his hands out of his pockets. (0:17)
- Nyah runs. Patterson takes chase, telling dispatchers the boy is reaching for his waistband. Nyah turns and points the gun at Patterson. (0:41)
- Patterson yells to officers Patrick Husnay and Andrew Citriniti that Nyah has a gun. (0:45)
- Patterson tackles Nyah. Husnay’s body-camera footage shows the gun is still in Nyah’s hand. (0:49) (Sgt. Michael Curley, a Utica police spokesperson, said Tuesday that Nyah was still in possession of the gun at the time that Patterson took him to the ground. Curley also said Nyah pointed the gun at the officers while on the ground during the struggle.)
- Witnesses capture the moment Patterson tackles Nyah on camera. The two begin to struggle on the ground. (0:54)
- Husnay runs up to Patterson and Nyah, who are struggling on the ground. Husnay yells for Nyah to drop the gun, kneels next to them and shoots Nyah in the chest. (1:03)
- Husnay tells Patterson and Citriniti that they need to put a chest seal on the wound in Nyah’s chest. (1:09) (Patterson later tells an officer that he does not know how Husnay “got that shot.” Patterson said he was right on top of Nyah during the struggle when Husnay fired his gun.)
- Husnay examines Nyah’s handgun, stating he thinks it is a .22 caliber Glock. (1:16) (Utica police later determined the gun to be a pellet gun made to look like a handgun.)
- Patterson tells Husnay and Citriniti that he doesn’t know if Nyah shot him or not. (1:33) (Patterson later tells officers he believed Nyah fired a shot at him. He told them, “I guess he didn’t.”)
- Patterson asks Husnay if there were any more shots. Husnay says, “Just one shot, it was me.” (1:50)
- Patterson starts chest compressions about a minute and thirty seconds after Nyah is shot. (2:00)
- Citriniti takes the firearm from Husnay. (2:12)
- Officers again ask Patterson what happened. He relays the details of the stop. Patterson tells other officers he asked to pat frisk Nyah because of where he placed his hands, the distance he kept from Patterson and that he was “being a little weird.” (2:47)
- The ambulance takes Nyah to the hospital. (3:27)
More Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard coverage
More than 100 protest fatal shooting of 13-year-old Nyah Mway in Utica
‘He’s got a gun!’ A second-by-second timeline of Utica police shooting that killed boy, 13
Utica police identify officer who fatally shot boy; release video of foot chase and shooting
NY Attorney General’s Office opens probe into fatal police shooting of boy in Utica
Family, friends, strangers gather to mourn 13-year-old Nyah Mway, who was fatally shot by Utica officer
Boy shot and killed by Utica police officer identified, vigil tonight
Boy shot dead by officer in Utica during struggle had pellet gun, chief says
13-year-old boy dies after being shot by Utica police officer during struggle
Staff writer Darian Stevenson covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, a story idea, a question or a comment? You can reach her at [email protected]
Amanda Smith is a dedicated U.S. correspondent with a passion for uncovering the stories that shape the nation. With a background in political science, she provides in-depth analysis and insightful commentary on domestic affairs, ensuring readers are well-informed about the latest developments across the United States.
