13-Year-Old Tyre King, Victim of Police Shooting Mourned by Family and Friends

Tyre King, the 13-year-old African-American boy shot and killed by a police officer in Columbus, Ohio was finally laid to rest. 500 mourners attended the funeral service held at the First Church of God in Columbus.

At the funeral held on Saturday, Nia Malika King, wept as she stood beside her son’s casket. She begged for his casket not be closed for the final time.

Ushers with white gloves consoled the friends and family of Tyre. However, the ushers needed to guide the distressed mother away from the casket so the service could start.

The incident happened on September 14, and the latest to evoke rage in the US due to excessive force by police against black males. Similar incidents occurred in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Tulsa, Oklahoma within the past week.

Mike Bell, a youth sports coach said “Tyre had a smile that was a glow, he demanded attention”. Friends fondly called him “Lil Boxx”, and said he enjoyed playing hockey, football and basketball.

King’s family attorney said that Tyre’s funeral represents citizen’s opinions on recent police shooting victims in Charlotte and Tulsa. Police shooting incidents sparked extensive debates on race and justice in the United States. The Black Lives Matter movement swelled its numbers because of the series of incidents caused the spread of the Black Lives Matter movement.

According to the Columbus Police Department, police accosted 3 suspects including Tyre  as they responded to reports of an armed robbery. A police officer shot King several times after he seemed to draw a handgun from the waistband of his pants.

It turned out that Tyre carried an air pistol that fires small metal pellets called BBs.  Columbus Mayor Andre Ginther described the BB gun as “almost Identical” to the 9mm Glock semi-automatic pistols issued to the city police, hence the mistake.

Conflicting accounts

Skeptical of the police reports, Tyre’s family however, called for an independent investigation. The medical examiner they hired found evidence that the officer shot the teenager while the latter ran away. Also, eye-witness accounts did not match the details of the police reports.

The Franklin County Coroner’s Office said the investigation for determining the cause and manner of Tyre’s death is ongoing.

Columbus Police officials placed Bryan Mason, the veteran Columbus police officer who shot Tyre, on administrative leave.

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