On June 1, a 14-year-old boy robbed a store in Aurora, Colorado, USA, with an air pistol. The child, who saw the police teams that immediately arrived at the scene after the notification, started to run away. After a short chase, a police officer named James Snapp caught the boy by jumping on him.
“STOP, PLEASE! YOU CAUGHT ME”
In the images reflected on the body camera of the police, the child on the ground said, “Stop, please. You got me” can be heard.
Roch Gruszeczka, another police officer who came to the area shortly after, said, “Gun, gun, drop that gun. I will shoot you” can be heard.
Seconds later, a gunshot is heard and the boy is seen screaming in pain. While the police immediately inform the paramedics, someone begins to give the child CPR.
Police Gruszeczka can be heard saying, “Stay with me, man, stay awake.”
POLICE OFFICER IS ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE
The 14-year-old boy died in the hospital where he was taken by an ambulance that came to the scene. An investigation has been launched into the death of the boy, whose name has been disclosed as “Jor’Dell Richardson”. Gruszeczka, the police officer who shot the boy, was placed on paid administrative leave.
Aurora Police Department Chief Art Acevedo said at a press conference about the incident that the police said he thought the air pistol in the boy’s hand was a “9mm firearm”. Acevedo showed a side-by-side photo of the two guns, noting that it was impossible for the cops to immediately tell whether the boy was carrying an air pistol or a real firearm.
Acevedo asked, “How would you react if someone pointed this at you?” used the phrases. “This is not a toy. “Actually, this is a weapon,” said Acevedo, emphasizing that an air pistol can cause serious injuries. Acevedo said, “Wherever this investigation takes us, wherever we finish, it is a tragedy. Because a young man died. There is still a lot of evidence to gather.”