A 17-year-old boy was fatally shot by Florida police Saturday night after the teen pointed what turned out to be an air rifle at cars and officers, authorities said.
Florida teen shot by police after pointing air rifle at officers
Tarpon Springs, Florida, police officers fired 12 shots at Alexander King after responding to Pinellas Avenue and Tarpon Avenue for multiple 911 reports of someone waving a “military-style rifle” at bystanders, Fox 13 reported, citing investigators.
King raised the air rifle and pointed it at officers when they arrived, according to Tarpon Springs Police Chief Jeffrey Young.
The teen also appeared to yell “Shoot me,” according to a video of a witness to the encounter obtained by the news outlet.
King was shot several times and transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
It is unclear whether he fired any shots from the BB gun.
The teen was a freshman at Tarpon Springs High School and had 22 previous encounters with police, Young said, including arrests for assault on a school board employee and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
The officers involved in the shooting were placed on paid leave under department policy while the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and other agencies investigate.
