Police Mistake Cellphone for Gun and Shoot Teenager

A police officer in Seattle, USA shot a teenager on Sunday after mistaking his mobile phone for a gun. The boy, who has not been named is reported to be in a satisfactory condition in hospital with wounds to his leg.

The officer was on routing patrol on Sunday evening when he saw two youths behaving suspiciously and when he approached them - they ran off. After being caught, they were instructed to put their hands up and while one of the boys complied - the other did not. The younger youth took his jacket off, lifted up his shirt and withdrew a "black object" from a pocket. The police officer, believing this was a gun, shot twice.

It later turned out to be a cellphone in a black case - and it is not clear yet quite why the teen was trying to take the phone out of his pocket.

John Diaz, deputy chief of operations for the Seattle police told the Seattle Times that "it is a tragic situation, tragic for the officer, tragic for the family and tragic for the kids,"

On the web: The Seattle Times

Posted to the site on 16th October 2007