Armed 15-year-old shot by Fresno police officer, chief says

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Sunday afternoon, investigators were seen in a northeast Fresno neighborhood after a 15-year-old boy was shot by a Fresno police officer.

Authorities said it happened here near E. Magill Avenue and N. Effie Street a little after 10:30 am.

The officer was working on a different call when neighbors alerted him to a person on a scooter with a gun about a block away. The officer found the 15-year-old suspect wearing a ski mask.

"This individual was ordered to get on his knees, keep his hands up. At some point after being told multiple times to keep his hands up, the individual reached down to his waistband. He displayed a firearm and he reached for his firearm," said Fresno Police Chief, Paco Balderrama.

The officer then shot him at least two times. Chief Balderama said the gun the suspect was carrying looked real.

"It appears that this gun that the subject had on his waistband was either an airsoft BB gun or some type of a replica gun. I can tell you from seeing it myself, not the gun but pictures of the gun, and the video, it is an exact replica of the gun I'm carrying now," said Chief Balderrama.

As investigators continue to collect evidence, friends of the 15-year-old are in shock.

"He is such a sweet boy, a sweet kid. I don't understand how this happened," said neighbor Irene Gomez.

Gomez's kids are friends with the suspect. She said he always offers to help her family. She's heartbroken and believes this is a huge misunderstanding.

"I just pray that he's ok, he's going to be ok. And pray for his mom, and his siblings and his grandma," said Gomez.

The 15-year-old who was shot is in critical condition at this time, but he is expected to survive. The police officer who fired has been with the department for almost 30 years - in following protocol, he will likely be placed on paid leave while the shooting is investigated.

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