Police in Ohio say a 15-year-old boy has been identified as the armed person killed by an officer

AKRON, Ohio (AP) – Authorities in Ohio have identified a 15-year-old youth who officials say was carrying a loaded gun when he was shot and killed by an Akron police officer after shootings in the area on Thanksgiving night.

On Friday evening, the Summit County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the person shot as 15-year-old Jazmir Tucker of Maple Heights.

Police said in a news release that two patrol officers were in a parked patrol car in the Sherbondy Hill neighborhood while they were working on a report of an unrelated incident. Police said they heard gunshots nearby just after 11 p.m. Thursday and went out into the street to investigate.

Shortly thereafter, officers encountered a youth with a loaded firearm, police added. One of the officers fired, striking the youth, who was administered first aid and then transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police said the fired officer, who has been on the force for nearly five years, and his partner were placed on paid administrative leave in accordance with department policy. The Akron Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 7 said in a social media post that its members were cooperating with investigators.

Mayor Shammas Malik wrote on social media Friday evening that “every human death is a tragedy and the loss of a young life is heartbreaking.” He expressed condolences to Tucker’s loved ones and said his thoughts also were with “our Akron police officers and their families.”

Malik expressed confidence that an investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Investigation would provide a “full understanding of the incident.”

“I am asking our community to reserve judgment until more facts are available, knowing that it is difficult to ask questions in situations like this,” he said. Malik also said the city would release body-worn camera footage within the next week “to provide transparency about this incident.”

The state attorney general’s office will review the results of the office’s investigation before presenting the report to the Summit County grand jury for review. Akron police will also conduct a separate internal investigation and report the results to the police chief and the city police auditor.