13-Year-Old Boy Fatally Shot by Police After He Pointed BB Gun at Officers

The 13-year-old was shot and killed after police after they responded to a call of an armed robbery.

A 13-year-old boy was shot and killed by Ohio police after he allegedly pulled a BB gun on officers responding to a call about an armed robbery, police said.

Police identified the dead boy as Tyre King, who later died at a children's hospital. 

Read: Police Warn Drivers to Slow Down After 2 Kids Hit After Getting Out of School Bus in 24 Hours

Police responded to a report of armed robbery involving multiple people at 7:42 p.m. Wednesday night and when they arrived, the victim gave a description to officers, the police report said.

Officers later observed three males matching the description.

Two of the males fled on foot and officers followed them into a nearby alley, where King pulled a gun from his waistband, according to police. One officer shot him multiple times, the report said.

He was later taken to Nationwide Children’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 8:22 p.m. Upon further investigation, the weapon was determined to be a BB gun with an attached laser site, police said.

No one else was injured and the involved officers will receive mandated psychological support counseling, according to the report.

“It’s senseless that something like this has to happen.  We are talking about a thirteen year old that made decision,” said Sgt. Rich Weiner of Columbus Police Department in a KIMAtv interview.  “Like I said the investigation is still going and we still have other people that we want to find."

Weiner added: “We want to find out how it came to be and why it happened so there is a lot of questions that we have.”

The shooting comes several months after a gazebo, the scene of 12-year-old Tamir Rice's death, was torn down to make a memorial for the child. Rice was fatally shot by police while playing with a toy pellet gun at a park in Cleveland.

The city of Cleveland paid Rice's $6 million after they brought a federal lawsuit against the city, but no one was indicted. 

Rice’s death sparked mass protests across the country. 

Read: Cleveland to Pay Out $6 Million Over Fatal Shooting of 12-Year-Old Tamir Rice

Social media users have taken to hashtagging the names of African-Americans killed by police in order to spread awareness about police brutality. King's name has quickly become a hashtag with many tweeting their sadness about the death. 

I wake up to devastating news of a police officer shooting a 13 year old boy who happen to have a BB gun! Death is not the answer #TyreeKing

— Jamal Wade (@JamalWade_) September 15, 2016

Some even referenced the kneeling of football player Colin Kaepernick during the national anthem at games in his own stand against police brutality and racial inequality. 

Tragedies like what happened to #TyreeKing is why we kneel during the National Anthem.

— Black Girl Nerds (@BlackGirlNerds) September 15, 2016

Watch: 13-Year-Old Among Trio Arrested In Alleged Plot To Kill Baton Rouge Police