Arizona Cop Shoots, Kills 14-Year-Old Boy Who Had An Airsoft Gun

A police officer in Tempe, Arizona shot and killed a 14-year-old boy who was holding what turned out to be an Airsoft gun. Officers were responding to a report about a person breaking into vehicles and when they arrived they found the boy, identified by his family as Antonio Arce, rummaging through the interior of a car. 

The teenager fled from officers while holding what they believed to be a handgun. The officers chased after him and Arce ignored the officer's verbal commands as he ran toward an alley. During the chase, one of the officers said that he "perceived a threat" and opened fire on the boy. They called an ambulance and attempted to perform CPR but Arce was pronounced dead at the hospital. 

Police said that they found a replica 1911 model airsoft gun, which they believe was stolen from the car near Arce's body. 

On Thursday (January 17), around 100 protesters gathered outside of the Tempe Police Department and demanded justice for Arce. The boy's brother, Jason Gonzalez, said that he wants to see the body camera footage from the officer. 

"We want to see body-cam footage,'' he said. "We want the autopsy and to do an autopsy by ourselves, without police.''

Officials said they are investigating the circumstances of the shooting.

"As with all officer-involved shootings, we will conduct a thorough investigation in conjunction with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office," police said in a press release.


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