US boy carrying replica gun shot dead by California police

[Jazzy]

A 13-year-old boy carrying a replica assault rifle has been shot dead by police in the US state of California.

Officers in the city of Santa Rosa say they opened fire after the boy refused orders to drop the rifle, which they believed to be real.

The shooting on Tuesday is now being investigated.

It comes a day after a 12-year-old boy in Nevada shot dead a maths teacher at his school and wounded two fellow pupils before taking his own life.

In the latest incident, two sheriff's deputies saw the teenager "with what appeared to be some type of rifle", a news release from the Sonoma County Sheriff's office said.

The deputies called for backup and repeatedly ordered the boy to drop the gun before firing several rounds from their handguns, police said.

The boy, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was later identified by his family as Andy Lopez.

"He was holding the weapon in his left hand. He began to turn toward his right in the direction of the deputy, and in so doing he moved the gun toward the deputy, and the deputy's mindset was that he was fearful he would be shot," Lt Paul Henry of Santa Rosa police said.

Full article

Do you think the shooting by police was justified or not?

 

[Sinon]

Honestly, yes. That gun for all intents and purposes looks real. If the kid refused orders from a police officer to drop the weapon, something was clearly wrong. I presume the officer/s were already pointing their guns at the kid, so if that wasn't enough incentive to put it down, nothing would be. It's a pity, but as the article states, another child went to school and murdered someone. They can't be too careful.

 

[Bjornar]

No. I think they should have shot him in the foot or something and then done something. I don't feel like killing people.

 

[Nebulous]

Perhaps if he actually opened fire on them, they could have shot him to death to defend their selves.

 

[DrLeftover]

It is a lot easier to say "shoot them in the foot" or something than to actually do it. Go to the range sometime with a full length target, and try it some time.

And if the weapon had been real, and the innocent young boy had been involved in the initiation to a street gang, and the officers tried that, we would now we discussing dead deputies.

Objectively, this was a legal killing.

The person holding what appeared to be a deadly weapon refused to comply with the order of a uniformed law enforcement officer.

 

[Sinon]

No. I think they should have shot him in the foot or something and then done something. I don't feel like killing people.

Look at your foot.

Now look at your chest.

Now think which one is the easier target.