Police officers in Philadelphia shot and killed a 12-year-old boy while he was reportedly wielding a firearm.
Thomas Siderio was shot and killed by a group of plainclothes officers on Wednesday after reportedly opening fire on them as the officers attempted to confront him.
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var _bp = _bp||[]; _bp.push({ "div": "Brid_46310798", "obj": {"id":"27789","width":"16","height":"9","video":"964157"} }); ","_id":"0000017f-4fc5-dda1-a57f-cfc510a80000","_type":"2f5a8339-a89a-3738-9cd2-3ddf0c8da574"}”>Video Embed”Last night, a young child with a gun in their hand purposely fired a weapon at our officers and by miracle, none of the officers suffered life-threatening injuries,” Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said in a statement. “However, the life of a young man was cut tragically short, and we should all be questioning how we as a society have failed him and so many other young people like him. I ask that our community come together and be the community — the village — that we were intended to be and that our children need.”
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The plainclothes officers were patrolling in an unmarked vehicle around 7 p.m. EST when they spotted two juveniles, a police spokesperson said. The officers noticed that one of them was armed with a handgun and flicked on the emergency lights to confront them. The officers then heard gunfire and glass from the rear passenger window shattered. One officer received face and eye injuries from the shattered glass.
Officials said two officers got out of the vehicle and fired their weapons at Siderio, whom they allege was still holding the gun. Siderio was shot in the upper right side of his back then transported to the hospital. He was later pronounced dead at 7:29 p.m. EST, according to official statements. The other juvenile, a 17-year-old male, was wanted for questioning in a firearm investigation, officials said. He was released pending further investigation.
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Investigators recovered the weapon, which was reportedly stolen.
Philadelphia Deputy Commissioner Ben Naish says the investigation is still in its early phases, and he cannot confirm that Siderio opened fire on the police vehicle. The two officers who opened fire have been placed on administrative leave.
