Pennsylvania Police Shoot Dead a 12-year-old Boy; Officers Change Initial Statement, Admit They Are Unsure if He Had a Weapon

Police in Philadelphia is facing concerns after issuing contradictory statements about an armed 12-year-old kid who was fatally shot in the back by cops on Tuesday, with the police commissioner stating he was armed and fired at officers, but her deputy later admitted that he wasn't sure whether he had a weapon.

Officers rushed Thomas Siderio, Jr., to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where he was declared dead a few minutes after the gunshot, according to police. Siderio was described as Caucasian by officers.

Police Shoot, Kill 12-Year-Old Boy in Pennsylvania

According to authorities, one of the four cops in the car was hit in the face and eye by shattered glass and was treated and discharged. Just after bullets were fired, a video from a door near the incident records what sounds like an officer shouting, "I'm bleeding."

The four officers in plainclothes were in an unmarked car in south Philadelphia at around 7:20 pm Tuesday as part of a task force responding to social media posts concerning a pistol, according to a statement released Wednesday.

Officers stated they noticed two young boys on a corner, one of them seemed to be carrying a weapon and identified the elder one as a suspect in the guns investigation. In-proportion-to authorities, after activating the car's emergency red and blue lights, the cops heard a gunshot and the back passenger window smashing.

The bullet flew through the glass, ricocheted off the passenger door, and went through the passenger-side headrest, according to Deputy Commissioner Benjamin Naish, who believes the police might have been killed or gravely hurt. On Wednesday, he gave a virtual report on gun violence in the city.

Two cops allegedly jumped out of the driver's side of the car and shot at the running adolescent who was allegedly clutching a pistol, according to police. Siderio was pursued down the street by one of the cops, who fired two more times, striking the youngster in the upper right back region. According to authorities, the gunshot exited through his chest. The other teen, a 17-year-old man who has not been identified, was arrested in connection with the guns case but subsequently released, according to Daily Mail.

Case Is on Pending Investigation

An officer fired two additional shots during the chase, injuring Siderio in the upper right back. According to officials, one gunshot exited him from the left side of his chest. Police took him to a hospital where he eventually died. The cop who was hit by the glass was taken to the hospital and treated before being discharged. Authorities claimed they couldn't say who shot at the automobile conclusively since the inquiry was still ongoing.

Siderio's supposed weapon was seized, and it was discovered to be fitted with a laser sight. According to authorities, it was reported stolen with one cartridge in the chamber and five shots in the magazine. The bullet that hit the unmarked police car shattered the rear passenger window glass, struck the inner door frame, and lodged in the passenger's headrest, as per Fox News.

Officers seized a 9mm semiautomatic pistol with a laser that had been reported stolen, according to Naish. The gun had one bullet in the chamber and five more in the clip. Siderio shot into the police car, but authorities couldn't say for sure whether he pointed the firearm at cops as he left, according to Naish. Police also declined to reveal whether the pistol was connected to the original inquiry.

As part of the inquiry, he said ballistics evidence had been acquired and police were examining the area for CCTV footage. He said that none of the plainclothes police was carrying body cameras. Both of the cops who discharged their firearms have been placed on administrative leave awaiting the outcome of the inquiry, News Boston reported.