The Baltimore Police Department said an officer opened fire on a 13-year-old boy carrying what appeared to be a semi-automatic gun, ABC News reports.
Police Commissioner Kevin Davis stated that two of his officers were on patrol when they observed the teen. When they approached, he ran away carrying the gun, and the officers chased him. One of them shot and wounded the fleeing boy. He’s expected to survive his nonfatal injuries.
“No police officer in Baltimore wants to shoot a 13-year-old,” Davis said, according to ABC News. “He had every opportunity to drop the gun. He had every opportunity to stop, put his hands in the air … and follow the instructions of a police officer.”
The commissioner stated that the teenager’s mother told authorities he left home with the BB gun, which Davis said looked exactly like a semi-automatic.
During a meeting with reporters, the police chief said people commonly use fake guns to commit crimes. His officers have the task of spotting dangerous criminals at a time when gun arrests in the city have surged by 60 percent in 2016.
Davis declined to state how many shots his officer fired at the teenager. Authorities did not immediately identify the police officer or the boy.
SOURCE: ABC News | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty | VIDEO SOURCE: Inform
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