Nyah Mway’s mother, Chee War, remembers about seven years ago when he told her he wanted to name his baby sister himself.
“‘Paw K War,’” Chee War, 39, said, explaining that the name means “blooming flower.” “We didn’t even know how he got that name.”
From then on, Nyah Mway — the 13-year-old boy who was fatally shot by police in Utica, New York, on Friday — was fiercely protective of his sister. He was protective of his whole family, in fact.
He’s being remembered as a doting sibling and son.
“Whenever he comes back from school, he’ll say, ‘I love you,’” Chee War said.
The people of Myanmar do not customarily have surnames, instead taking individual compound names.
Nyah Mway was tackled to the ground and shot after he ran from police, who said he was one of two youths stopped in connection with an armed robbery investigation. Authorities said he appeared to have a weapon in his hand, which turned out to be a replica of a Glock 17 Gen 5 handgun with a detachable magazine.
Utica police has identified Patrick Husnay as the officer who fired his weapon at the teen. Officers Bryce Patterson and Andrew Citriniti were also involved in the incident. All three are on paid administrative leave under department policy, officials said.
Investigations have been launched by the police department and the State attorney general’s Special Investigations Office. In an email, Utica Police Lt. Michael Curley did not comment on the probes but said that through the process, “the facts of the incident will be made available for the public to see.”
“We will continue to be transparent and open with the investigative process to rebuild the trust within our local community,” he said.
Nyah Mway, a refugee who had fled to the U.S. from Myanmar with his family when he was 4, had just finished eighth grade and was looking forward to starting high school in the fall, his family said. His mother said that like any other teenager, he loved…
Read the full article here
