Additional Coverage:
The relatives of a 13-year-old boy fatally shot by police in Utica, New York, are calling for justice, while the city’s Police Chief argued the youth was holding a gun that looked real at the time he was shot. The boy, Nyah Mway, was struck in the chest by a Utica police officer last Friday evening as he and a friend were being questioned by officers about a series of robberies, according to the authorities.
Nyah Mway’s uncle, Lay Htoo, expressed his family’s grief to ABC News, noting the boy had only recently finished the eighth grade. Htoo described the profound loss his family, which arrived in Utica eight years ago fleeing conflict in Myanmar and after living in a Thai refugee camp, now feels experiencing violence in their new home, America.
During a vigil on June 29, 2024, in Utica, New York, for the young Nyah Mway, Htoo challenged the necessity of the police’s lethal action, suggesting alternatives like a stun gun could have been used, especially since a bystander’s video showed his nephew being pinned and hit by an officer.
Police Chief Mark Williams explained that detailed analysis of body camera footage showed the officers were justifiably frightened for their safety because Mway held the gun throughout the incident. Williams acknowledged the general public’s distress over the incident but stressed the officers’ actions were driven by concern for their safety.
The department identified officers involved as Patrick Husnay, the six-year veteran who shot Mway; Bryce Patterson, a four-year veteran; and Andrew Citriniti, who joined two and a half years ago. This incident marks the department’s first fatality since September 2022.
The incident has sparked outcry from the community, with many attending a vigil and demanding justice. Chief Williams admitted the incident has eroded trust with Utica’s Karen community, which numbers about 8,000, and emphasized the importance of transparency to rebuild this trust.
Williams voiced concerns for his officers’ safety, particularly Husnay’s, after personal information was shared online, leading to protective measures for the officers involved.
The shooting occurred as the officers were investigating robberies in the area, with Mway and his friend fitting the description of the suspects. The confrontation escalated when Mway, apparently armed with what was later identified as a replica pellet gun, fled from officers and was ultimately shot after a brief pursuit.
Chief Williams emphasized the ongoing investigation by the New York State Attorney General’s Office and stressed the need for a thorough and impartial review to understand fully what transpired that tragic night.