A police officer in Cleveland shot a 12-year-old boy who pulled a realistic-looking toy gun from his waistband Saturday. The boy, who was shot in the stomach, was in “serious condition” and undergoing surgery.
The shooting took place outside Cudell Recreation Center around 3.30 p.m. after officers responded to reports of a man with a gun, the a$sociated Press reported.
The officers responding to the report saw a group of people sitting outside the rec center and a black gun on a table in front of them. The boy picked up the gun and put it in his waistband. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer description of the incident, one officer told the boy who had picked up the gun to raise his hands, after which the boy grabbed the gun from his waistband. An officer then fired two shots, one of which hit the boy in the stomach.
WOIO-TV, Cleveland, reported the weapon was subsequently determined to be an “airsoft”-type replica, and an orange safety indicator clip that normally would be around the muzzle had been removed.
Cleveland crime reporter Cory Shaffer tweeted a picture released by Cleveland police of the weapon.
BB gun Cleveland police said a 12yo boy pulled from his waistband before they shot him. http://t.co/UeLXI01nEH pic.twitter.com/J4Sc1pdP36
รข€” Cory Shaffer (@cory_shaffer) November 23, 2014
The shooting took place outside Cudell Recreation Center around 3.30 p.m. after officers responded to reports of a man with a gun, the a$sociated Press reported.
The officers responding to the report saw a group of people sitting outside the rec center and a black gun on a table in front of them. The boy picked up the gun and put it in his waistband. According to the Cleveland Plain Dealer description of the incident, one officer told the boy who had picked up the gun to raise his hands, after which the boy grabbed the gun from his waistband. An officer then fired two shots, one of which hit the boy in the stomach.
WOIO-TV, Cleveland, reported the weapon was subsequently determined to be an “airsoft”-type replica, and an orange safety indicator clip that normally would be around the muzzle had been removed.
Cleveland crime reporter Cory Shaffer tweeted a picture released by Cleveland police of the weapon.
BB gun Cleveland police said a 12yo boy pulled from his waistband before they shot him. http://t.co/UeLXI01nEH pic.twitter.com/J4Sc1pdP36
รข€” Cory Shaffer (@cory_shaffer) November 23, 2014