A 14-year-old black boy, Jor’Dell Richardson, was caught by police after robbing a store in the US state of Colorado with an air pistol on June 1. After being knocked down by a police officer, Richardson was shot by another officer named Roch Gruszeczka for reaching for his gun, which Gruszeczka assumed to be real. The young boy lost his life after being hospitalized, and Gruszeczka was placed on paid administrative leave.
Aurora Police Department Chief Art Acevedo said it was impossible for police to tell if the boy’s gun was real or fake by comparing photos of an air gun with a real gun.
It is not yet known whether the boy pointed the air pistol at the police and raised his hand to the gun. An investigation was launched into the death of the child.
TR