Washington: Authorities in the US state of Mississippi have launched a probe into an incident involving an 11-year-old boy who was shot by a police officer after the child called 911 for help, media reports said.
On the morning of May 20, Aderrien Murry was shot in the chest by an Indianola Police Department while the latter was responding to a domestic disturbance call at the child’s home, according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation.
As a result of the shooting, the boy suffered a collapsed lung, fractured ribs and a lacerated liver.
Confirming the launch of the probe, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) said that “no officers were injured during the incident. A minor occupant of the residence received significant injuries and has been transported to a local hospital”, reports NBC News.
“MBI is currently assessing this critical incident and gathering evidence. Upon completing the investigation, agents will share their findings with the Attorney General’s Office.”
The agency did not provide any further details.
Meanwhile, the family’s lawyer Carlos Moore said that Murry is recovering after being released from the hospital, but is traumatised and will require counseling.
Moore told CNN on Thursday there is “no way” the boy could have been mistaken by the officer for the adult who was the subject of the 911 call — a man “over 6 feet tall.”
“This 11-year-old child was about 4 feet 10 it looks like and so he could not have been confused. So we don’t know what happened, but we do know this officer’s actions were reckless, very reckless, and could have led to the loss of life,” the lawyer said.
In a separate statement earlier in the day, the lawyer said that “No child should ever be subjected to such violence at the hands of those who are sworn to protect and serve.
“We must demand justice for this young boy and his family. We cannot allow another senseless tragedy like this to occur. We must come together as a community to demand change and accountability from our law enforcement officials.”
Moore, the boy’s mother Nakala Murry and others held a sit-in protest on Thursday morning at the Indianola City Hall.
A march and rally to demand the firing of the officer and the release of body-camera footage is planned for Saturday.
(IANS)
