PHILADELPHIA (Washington Insider Magazine) – Authorities announced Tuesday that a Philadelphia law enforcement officer who shot dead a 12-year-old child after the youngster reportedly shot into an undercover police vehicle and left the scene will be fired.
The policeman will be terminated for 30 days, beginning Friday, before being fired for breaking the department’s “use-of-force directive,” according to Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw.
According to authorities, the cop was among 4 undercover police officers in an undercover car doing reconnaissance in South Philadelphia slightly before 7:30 p.m. on March 1 when he was shot.
According to Outlaw, the officials approached 2 minors with the vehicle’s emergency lights on: a 17-year-old kid who they intended to question and a 12-year-old youngster.
According to investigators, the younger youngster shot at the automobile, hitting the passenger side rear glass. According to authorities, one of the cops was wounded in the eye by glass as a bullet passed through the window of the car.
Two more cops returned fire, each firing once, before the guy escaped on foot with the gun, according to Outlaw. According to her, a cop pursued the youngster and fired his weapon twice, hitting him in the back.
Authorities named the 12-year-old child as Thomas Siderio, who was declared dead at a local hospital, according to police.
The agency has not identified the 4 officers because of security concerns, according to the commissioner.
Following the incident, the cops were assigned to administrative duties, according to authorities. Due to the continuing investigation, the department had no more information on the fate of the remaining officers on Tuesday.
Following the incident, the 17-year-old was arrested. According to Outlaw, he was later freed and not prosecuted.
The incident is the subject of a criminal investigation by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. At this time, no allegations have been brought.
On Thursday, Siderio’s family launched a civil suit against the 4 policemen involved in the killing, their lawyer, Conor Corcoran told ABC NEWS.
He agreed that the commissioner was right in discharging the officer in issue, but he denied that the youngster was armed.
