US: Armed 14 Year Old Shot Dead by New York Police

A gun recovered at the scene. Photograph courtesy of the NYPD

An armed 14 year old boy has been shot and killed by police in New York.

Two police officers heard gunshots at Courtlandt Avenue in the Bronx during the early hours of the morning and rushed to the scene where they confronted Shaaliver Douse. According to reports Douse refused to drop his gun when ordered by the police, with one officer firing a single shot to killing the boy, with the bullet entering his body through the jaw.

Douse is believed to be the youngest person shot and killed by members of the New York Police Department (NYPD)..

Defending the actions of the officers, NYPD commissioner Ray Kelly said:

“You shoot to stop. You can’t shoot to wound. That only happens in Western movies”

Douse was a suspected gang member, having previously been charged with theft and weapons possession, and was charged with the attempted murder of another 15 year old boy in May, although the charges were dropped after the victim refused to testify.

This shooting follows the killing of another 16 year old boy in Brooklyn in March, where many believed he was unarmed. The protests following his death resulted in 46 people being arrested.