CLEVELAND (AP) ? A 12-year-old boy brandishing what turned out to be a fake gun is dead after being shot by a Cleveland police officer.
An attorney for the family says the boy died early Sunday morning at a hospital.
The shooting happened Saturday after officers responded to reports of a male with a gun. A man who called 911 told dispatchers that the boy was at a recreation center pointing a pistol that was "probably fake" and scaring everyone.
Police say the officer fired two shots after the boy pulled the fake weapon from his waistband. The orange safety indicator had been removed from the barrel.
Investigators say the boy did not point the fake pistol at officers but reached for it after being told to raise his hands.
Here's the AP's earlier story on the incident:
CLEVELAND (AP) ? Police say a 12-year-old boy brandishing what turned out to be a fake gun at a Cleveland recreation center was shot and wounded by a responding officer.
Cleveland's Emergency Medical Service tells WOIO-TV (
http://bit.ly/1FefMZO ) that the boy is at a hospital with serious injuries. His mother says he's in surgery for a stomach wound.
The shooting happened at about 3:30 p.m. at Cudell Rec Center after officers responded to reports of a male with a gun.
Deputy Chief Ed Tomba tells the TV station the boy had the weapon in his waistband, pulled it out and one officer fired two shots. He says the boy didn't make any verbal threats or point the gun.
WOIO reports the gun was a replica of semi-automatic pistol, and the orange safety indicator in the muzzle was missing.
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I just cant see how they could kill this kid.
seem too trigger happy to me. It goes beyond their own safety,
something is wrong
over and over
kids
