CHANDLER, Ariz. — A 17-year-old boy has passed away a few weeks after he was shot by a Chandler police officer over the weekend, police said.
The Chandler Police Department said the officer, who was not immediately identified, tried to stop the teenager for a traffic violation while the boy was riding his bicycle.
The boy refused to stop and fled on his bicycle from the officer, police said, and abandoned his bike near Delaware and Erie streets, running toward Gazelle Meadows Park.
The officer followed the boy on foot. While running through the park, police said the teenager took a gun out from his waist area and motioned toward the officer.
The officer then shot the boy.
The officer was not injured. The officer was placed on administrative leave, police said. The officer has been with the department for five years.
The shooting took place on Jan. 2. It was the first officer-involved shooting in the Phoenix area in 2021.
Body camera footage from the incident was released by Chandler police on Jan. 15.
