12-Year-Old Shot and Killed in West Memphis by Police

Police Say He Had a Toy Gun, Family Disagrees

12-year-old DeAuntae Farrow, a sixth grader at Maddux Elementary School in West Memphis, Ark., was shot and killed after a police officer allegedly shot him stating that he had been holding a toy gun that resembled a real weapon.

Family members are stating that the child did not have a gun and that he had been spending the night with his 14-year-old cousin in an apartment complex south of I-40 and I-50. Assistant Police Chief Mike Allen told the AP that one of the two Arkansas police officers fired at the 12-year-old only after he made an "evasive action".

Adrian Williams, Farrow's cousin who resides in the apartments where Farrow was killed told AP "he had nothing, I saw him with chips and pop in his hand".

Asst. Police Chief Allen stated that the officers were on a stakeout in the apartment that had nothing to do with Farrow. The officers said they saw two people running past them and yelling. The officers got out of the car to see what the situation was and allegedly saw one of them with what they assumed was a Glock pistol. Police Chief Bob Paudert in a statement said the officer stated "the child has a toy pistol that looked identical to a real weapon. He did have a toy pistol with him, and the officer saw it and fire shots. Two shots, I think."

Family and friends of the boy are very distraught and angry by the shooting. They are assuming that the officer mistook Farrow for someone else. DeAuntae whose nickname was "Tae Tae", had dreams of becoming a police officer himself, according to his family members. Another cousin of Farrow, Shameka Farrow Banks said "he was a great kid, we're trying to get to figure out what happened and why. We're going to get to the bottom of this".