Pennsylvania cop to be investigated after fatally shooting unarmed 17-year-old multiple times

An East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, police officer shot and killed Antwon Rose, an unarmed 17-year-old, following a Tuesday night traffic stop, and he's now under investigation.

What are the details of the shooting?

The East Pittsburgh police officer pulled over a vehicle Tuesday night after the vehicle had reportedly been linked to a nonfatal drive-by shooting in another part of town earlier that evening.

According to Fox News, the unnamed officer placed the driver in handcuffs and around this time, Rose and a third person fled on foot.

Fox News reported that no suspects fired on police officers, but the officer reportedly shot Rose, striking him several times. Rose was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died.

WTAE-TV reported that the officer who fired on Antwon was not wearing a body camera, nor was the patrol car equipped with cameras.

Video of the incident has been shared widely on the internet.

(Content warning: graphic footage)

During a news conference, Allegheny County Police Superintendent Coleman McDonough said that Rose was shot three times at "various places on his body."

"I understand that in today's atmosphere, any time a young man is killed, there is cause for outrage in some areas," McDonough said. "However, I would urge people to give us time to conduct an objective investigation to gather facts. Social media is so prolific now. Some of the initial postings that came out directly after this incident were inaccurate and inflammatory, so I would urge that people in the community give us a chance to conduct an objective investigation, and I guarantee that's what they'll get from the Allegheny County police."

According to McDonough, two guns were found in the vehicle after police executed a search.

The third person involved in the traffic stop has yet to be found, and has not turned himself in for questioning over the incident or his witness account.

The unidentified officer was put on leave after the incident, as per protocol, and the Allegheny County Police Department is investigating the incident.

The teen's death sparked protests across Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

#AntwonRose pittsburgh. Intersection taken. March growing rapidly. pic.twitter.com/WaeYzNQfD0

— Jizzy Gillespie (@serial1337) June 20, 2018

What about the officer?

New reports on the officer are emerging, noting that he had been sworn into duty just 90 minutes before Antwon's shooting death.

According to KDKA-TV's Jon Delano, the officer — who is reportedly in his 20s — had been an officer in the region since 2011.

"Pennsylvania law allows deadly force in an arrest only when the officer believes that such force is necessary to prevent death or serious bodily injury to himself or others," Delano said.

"That’s the general rule," Delano continued, "but there is another."

"Deadly force can be used when force is necessary to prevent an escape and (1) the person to be arrested has committed a forcible felony, or (2) he’s attempting to escape and possesses a deadly weapon, or (3) he will endanger others if not arrested right away," Delano added.



Anything else?

S. Lee Merritt, popular attorney and civil rights activist, issued a statement Wednesday from Rose's family noting that they "know very little about the circumstances surrounding his death at this early stage."

In the statement, Merritt also called Rose "a generous, hard-working and highly promising student."

"We must emphasize that rumors about him being involved in a separate shooting are unsubstantiated," the statement continued. "We know that he was not armed at the time he was shot down, that he posed no immediate threat to anyone, and that, significantly, the driver of the vehicle he occupied was released from police custody."

You can read the full statement below.

I am en route to Pittsburgh, PA to investigate the murder of #AntwonRose. The family asked that I release this statement on their behalf as they continue to look for answers. pic.twitter.com/uAWaHMet7v

— S. Lee Merritt, Esq. (@MeritLaw) June 20, 2018