A 15-year-old boy was fatally shot in a stolen car on July 6 by police in Glendale, Arizona, after repeatedly reaching for a gun.
The shooting happened outside an apartment complex, and the boy died from his injuries after being rushed to the hospital.
Glendale Police spokesperson Sgt. Randy Stewart said detectives had been searching for a stolen vehicle, which they spotted just before 2 p.m. The officers found two boys, aged 15 and 16, inside the car. The 15-year-old boy, whose family later identified as Juan Carlos Bojorquez, allegedly confessed to the police that he had a gun in the car.
Officers warned the boy to not reach for the gun. However, when they tried to take Bojorquez into custody, he suddenly struggled and broke free from their grasp and reached for the weapon in the car, police said. At that point, the teen was shot by another officer, Stewart said.
The teen then reached for the firearm another time. The police shot him again. It is unclear how many times the 15-year-old was shot. Bojorquez died shortly after being transported to the hospital. No officers were injured during the shooting, according to a Twitter post by the Glendale Police.
The 16-year-old boy in the vehicle was arrested, and it is unclear what charges he may face. In the car, the gun was located inside a cubby area near the driver’s side, Steward said. An independent investigation into the incident will be carried out by the Buckeye Police Department, he added.
Merlinda Bazan, the boy’s aunt, said her family is devastated over Bojorquez’s death. “Can you imagine what was my reaction? He is a baby, he’s a little boy. He’s 15 years old. What can be my reaction is be hurt. My family is hurt. All our family is hurt from what happened,” she said.
