Curiosity
13 Year Old Shot By Police In California (PHOTO)
AP PHOTO/COURTESY OF LOPEZ FAMILY
Andy Lopez was shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies in Santa Rosa, Calif. after repeatedly telling him to drop what turned out to be a replica assault rifle.
Santa Rosa, CA – 13-year-old Andy Lopez has lost his life as a result of refusing to drop his friend’s AK-47 when ordered to by armed police officers. The two officers were conducting routine patrols when they spotted Lopez toting the weapon. As the officers were unable to discern whether the assault rifle was a toy replica, a scaled down but function model capable of firing projectiles like BBs, or the actual famed Soviet weapon, they ordered him to drop the weapon.
SONOMA COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE
This fake gun was found on the boy after he was killed. The officers who shot him have been placed on administrative leave.
The officer’s multiple requests to Lopez went unheeded and finally they both fired on the boy striking him multiple times killing him on the spot. Nevertheless, they cuffed the boy’s dead body while they cordoned off the area for several hours. Upon close examination, it was determined the weapon in question was a toy replica, but it isn’t known if it was merely a toy or one capable of shooting non-lethal projectiles.
Regardless, the boy’s parents are devastated at the extreme use of force by the officers and are left asking why this had to be. The officers are now on administrative leave pending the investigation into the shooting death. Their names have not been released to the public.
CBS SAN FRANCISCO
Officials have not confirmed if the replica could fire any kind of projectile.
On The Web:
California cops shoot dead 13-year-old boy armed with toy gun
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/calif-cops-shoot-13-year-old-boy-armed-toy-gun-dead-article-1.1494144