On the night of June 28, 2024, a shocking incident occurred in Utica, New York. Nyah Mway, a 13-year-old teenager of Burmese descent, was shot dead in a confrontation with police, sparking outrage and protests from the local community.
According to the police description, at around 10:20 p.m. that night, Mway was walking down the street with another minor when he was stopped by three police officers.
When asked to stop, the two boys started running. Videos on social media showed police chasing Mway through the dark streets and eventually knocking him to the ground. During the process, Mway allegedly revealed a replica Glock air gun.
In the live video, onlookers expressed concern about the police action, and one woman kept shouting, "Be careful, you guys are on camera." "Subsequently, when the police scuffled with Mway on the ground, a police officer shot Mway in the chest, resulting in his death.
The incident sparked a huge outrage in the local community. At a press conference the next day, the meeting, which had been limited to the media, was made public due to the presence of a large number of citizens. Many people, including more than 50 family members from Mway, gathered outside City Hall and chanted for justice.
One protester held a sign that read: Mway's mother wept bitterly at the launch event, and local officials translated their speech into Burmese to comfort her.
Speaking at the press conference, Udiga Police Chief Mark Williams said:
Speaking at the press conference, the mayor of Eudeca, Michael Galime, stressed that although the police stop was routine, it turned into a tragedy in a matter of seconds. He said:
Galime also promised to make public footage of police body cams. Meanwhile, the New York State Attorney General's Office will conduct an investigation into the shooting, and the Udiga Police Department will conduct an internal investigation.
At the press conference, an angry crowd repeatedly interrupted officials' speeches and demanded transparency and justice. Some shouted that police officers need to be charged with first-degree murder, while others mentioned that community members who had fled persecution by the Burmese army now faced similar violence in the United States.
The incident in Yudija, which has a large Burmese population, has further heightened community concerns about police violence and racial injustice.
The police confirmed that they had noticed the video of the shooting circulating on the network, but said in a statement:
The three officers involved have been placed on paid leave for now, and police plan to release their names in the near future. Director Williams said:
The occurrence of this incident has once again triggered a deep reflection on the way the police enforce the law and the relationship between the community.