Sacramento, California: A 13-year-old California boy carrying a replica of an assault rifle was shot and killed by sheriff's deputies apparently believed the gun was real, local media reported on Wednesday.
The incident took place in the northern California community of Santa Rosa on Tuesday, a day after a 12-year-old boy killed a teacher at a Nevada middle school with a gun he also used to take his own life.
In California, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the shooting took place but declined to field questions about the incident. The department said in a statement only that deputies had shot and killed "an unidentified male" carrying a replica of an assault weapon.
The statement did not identify that person as a juvenile. But the child's father, Rodrigo Lopez, told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat that the person killed was his son, Andy, who he said had been carrying a toy gun.
Asked about the shooting incident, the county coroner's office said it could not release the name of the person who was shot because he was a juvenile.
The sheriff's department said the deputies involved had been patrolling in Santa Rosa, which is about 55 miles (90 km) north of San Francisco, on Tuesday afternoon when they saw someone who appeared to be holding an assault weapon.
"The two deputies repeatedly ordered the subject to drop the rifle and at some point immediately thereafter, the deputies fired several rounds from their handguns at the subject striking him several times," the department said. "The subject fell to the ground and landed on top of the rifle he was carrying."
After securing the area, deputies realized that the weapon was a replica, the press release said. They also found a plastic handgun.
The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure, and the incident is being investigated by the Santa Rosa Police Department as well as other law enforcement agencies, officials said.
The incident took place in the northern California community of Santa Rosa on Tuesday, a day after a 12-year-old boy killed a teacher at a Nevada middle school with a gun he also used to take his own life.
In California, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the shooting took place but declined to field questions about the incident. The department said in a statement only that deputies had shot and killed "an unidentified male" carrying a replica of an assault weapon.
Asked about the shooting incident, the county coroner's office said it could not release the name of the person who was shot because he was a juvenile.
Advertisement
"The two deputies repeatedly ordered the subject to drop the rifle and at some point immediately thereafter, the deputies fired several rounds from their handguns at the subject striking him several times," the department said. "The subject fell to the ground and landed on top of the rifle he was carrying."
Advertisement
The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure, and the incident is being investigated by the Santa Rosa Police Department as well as other law enforcement agencies, officials said.
© Thomson Reuters 2013
COMMENTS
Advertisement
4 Injured After Shooting In US' Seattle: Cops How Undercover Agents Posed As Sex Buyers At Comic Con To Rescue Victims US Secret Service Acting Director "Ashamed" About Trump Shooting Incident Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah To Be Prosecuted In Land Scam Case LIVE: CBI Team At Kolkata Hospital For Digital Mapping Of Crime Scene Kolkata Rape-Murder: 5 Demands Of Doctors On 24-Hour Nationwide Strike Viral Video: Bird 'Unfurls' Flag In Kerala, Here's What Really Happened Olympic Medals or Kota Factory? Time to Let Young Minds Choose Is 'Wokeness' Killing Comedy - Or Are Ageing Comedians Crying Wolf? Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.