Arizona officer kills teen carrying airsoft gun

An officer in Tempe, Ariz., on Tuesday fatally shot a 14-year-old boy suspected of burglary and carrying a replica gun, police said. Officers reported a suspect burglarizing a car and running away with what appeared to be a handgun. Police said he turned toward officers during the chase, and one officer perceived a threat and shot the suspect. The boy died at a hospital. Authorities have not identified the teen or the officer who shot him. The boy carried a replica 1911 airsoft gun, which police determined he took from the vehicle. Authorities said the officer’s body camera captured the shooting, but they have not released the footage.

The mother of the teen told KNXV-TV the department was trying to tarnish her son’s reputation. “Apart from the fact that they killed him, they want to destroy him,” Sandra Gonzalez said. “No. I won’t allow it, I want justice.” Gonzalez joined about 100 protesters outside the offices of the Tempe Police Department on Thursday to demand access to the body camera footage. The department said it will conduct an investigation in conjunction with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.