Utica, N.Y. — More than 100 people took to Utica’s City Hall on Monday to protest the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Nyah Mway.
The city’s council met for a special meeting regarding legislation, but protesters came out in support of Nyah.
Mway was shot by a Utica police officer during a struggle after a foot chase on Friday night in the 900 block of Shaw Street. Police say the boy pointed what officers thought was a gun at them but it turned out to be a pellet gun designed to look like a handgun.
People filled the council chambers, some carrying signs that read, “Justice for Nyah” and “No justice, no peace.”
The public was not allowed to comment at the meeting. At special meetings like the one held on Monday, the council does not allow public comment. The shooting was not discussed by councilors either.
When the meeting concluded, organizer Kay Klo led the crowd with chants of “What do we want? Justice! When do we want it? Now!” and “Say his name! Nyah Mway!”
The crowd made its way outside where more supporters gathered with more signs including ”Take my hand not my life! I still want to go to school.”
Once outside, Klo and others spoke to the crowd.
“Nyah will never get his due process in court,” Klo said. “We will never know why he fled from the police that night. But here is what we know, this young child is not here to answer the questions of why he ran on what was supposed to be a routine summer night coming back from hanging out with friends. He did not deserve to be killed after a foot pursuit.”
Nyah’s brother Thoung Oo also addressed the crowd.
“I feel so sad that I won’t get to see (Nyah) go to high school,” Oo said. “He just graduated from middle school. I can’t believe it. I can’t still wrap my head around around it.”
Oo expressed how he feels an emptiness with his brother not around anymore and says his parents can’t even come to demonstrations or meetings with officials anymore because they’re tired of hearing the stories from officials. They just want justice.
“I can’t process the thoughts that I have right now and I can’t keep my head around anything right now,” Oo said. “I really miss him. All I want is to see Nyah one more time in my life.”
Utica police released body camera footage and a statement Saturday regarding Friday’s shooting.
Oo said that the information from the police doesn’t match what the family was told the night of the shooting. He said the family was told Nyah was shot in a shootout.
The videos released show Nyah was shot once by one officer and doesn’t show the boy firing at officers. Videos do show him pointing a gun at an officer while running away.
Klo, the protest organizer, explained the family’s concern.
“The stories that (officials) have been telling the media, telling the family who doesn’t even speak English, none of the stories add up, things don’t make sense,” Klo said. “We need to see fully everything that happened that whole evening. We need those responsible to be held accountable.”
The state Attorney General’s Office will investigate the shooting, as required by state law.
Nyah’s family started a GoFundMe campaign to help raise funds for “funeral, legal expenses to seek justice, and family expenses including counseling.”
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Nyah Mway, 13, was shot and killed by Utica Police on June 28, 2024.Courtesy Dah Eh
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