Police: Arizona officer kills teen boy with replica gun

Police in a Phoenix suburb say a burglary suspect shot to death by an officer was a 14-year-old boy carrying a replica gun.

Authorities say officers in the city of Tempe reported a suspect burglarising a car Tuesday and that he ran away holding what appeared to be a handgun.

During the chase, police say he turned toward the officers.

One officer perceived that as a threat and shot the suspect, who died at a hospital.

Police said Wednesday that the teen had a replica 1911 airsoft gun in his possession, which they determined he had taken from vehicle along with some other items.

They say the shooting was captured on the officer's body camera.

The police department did not immediately respond to a request by The Associated Press for access to the video.

The name of the teen and the officer who opened fire haven't been released.

But the ABC15 Arizona station interviewed a man and a woman identified as the boy's brother and mother, who said they wanted police to explain what happened.

The boy's brother Jason Gonzalez said, "A police officer has a Taser gun right? Why not shoot a Taser at him? He sees a young boy, my brother wouldn't shoot. I know he wouldn't shoot."
Speaking through a Spanish-English interpreter, the teen's mother Sandra Gonzalez said: "If they want to tarnish my son, they are wrong."
"No. I won't allow it, I want justice."
"We are demanding that police be held accountable for the killings they are committing, mostly against unarmed, marginalised people."