Arkansas police officers fatally shot a 16-year-old boy in front of juvenile emergency shelter, but its not clear why.
Fox News reported that two officers responded to a call Tuesday night at East Arkansas Youth Services in Marion Arkansas, which is a Department of Human Services facility. Within moments of arriving, Aries Clark was shot. He died overnight in a Memphis hospital.
I never expected not to see my son again. I had saw him that Thursday, and we were trying to figure out how we were going to do therapy to get help for him," Clark's mother Vicky Clark told WMC News.
The Marion, Arkansas, police department didnt reveal any details about why officers were called to the shelter and whether or not Aries Clark was armed when he was shot, but his cousin, Chris Clark, told reporters that he held a BB gun in the air, and they just took him down on sight, Fox13 Memphis reported.
WMC News reported that doctors told Clarks parents that he was shot in the back and the back of the head.
Two officers were put on paid leave, which is standard procedure, while the shooting is being investigated, according to KATV. The police department declined to release the names of the officers involved, but said they werent harmed. Its also unclear if there was body cam footage.
Vicky Clark told WMC News her child was having behavioral issues at West Memphis High School, and the family was seeking therapy options for Clark, which is why he ended up at the center.
The teenager's father, who wasnt explicitly identified, told WMC News, "he was just being unruly. He ran away from home twice, so we needed help with him. We just went from needing some help to the next thing we know he's dead."
East Arkansas Youth Services website says the facility is a community based, private, non-profit organization that provides positive alternatives to institutionalization for children who are involved or at risk of becoming involved with the juvenile justice system.
In a Facebook post, the center declined to comment on the specifics of the incident but said none of the staff were harmed. Mental health services were also provided to residents and employees due to the traumatic nature of the shooting.
We also request your prayers for our operations and specifically for all individuals and entities involved in this incident. In turn we also offer our sincere prayers for all affected by this event, the post read.
According to a police shooting tracker by the Washington Post, 568 people have been killed by police officers this year. Six people have been killed in Arkansas alone.
There have been other incidents in recent years of police officers fatally shooting black children with BB guns.
In San Diego in May, a 15-year-old was shot after he reportedly pointed a BB gun at officers. One of the more high profile incidents occurred in 2014 when a Cleveland police officer fatally shot 12-year-old Tamir Rice, who was holding a pellet gun. The officer was fired in May.
And in Columbus, Ohio, police fatally shot 13 year-old Tyrie King, who was later found to be holding a BB gun.
