Former Philadelphia officer charged with murder of 12-year-old boy

(Reuters) – A former Philadelphia officer was charged with homicide within the deadly taking pictures of a 12-year-old boy within the again after the youth dropped a gun that he apparently fired at an unmarked police automobile, a prosecutor mentioned on Monday.

Edsaul Mendoza, 26, who was dismissed from the drive after the March 1 taking pictures, was charged with first-degree homicide, third-degree homicide, voluntary manslaughter and possession of an instrument of crime, in line with a grand jury presentment unsealed on Monday. He was arrested on Sunday and denied bail on Monday.

A spokesman for the Defender Affiliation of Philadelphia, which represented Mendoza at his bail listening to, declined to touch upon his case.

On the night of the taking pictures, Mendoza was amongst 4 plainclothes officers concerned in a stolen firearm investigation, using within the unmarked automobile in South Philadelphia, District Lawyer Larry Krasner mentioned at a press convention.

Thomas “TJ” Siderio, 12, and one other boy had been using bicycles when the undercover automobile drove previous. A gunshot rang out, breaking the rear, passenger-side window of the undercover automobile, Krasner mentioned.

“All indicators are that the 12-year-old fired the gun on the automobile,” Krasner mentioned.

A foot chase ensued and Mendoza appeared to shout “Drop it!” and “Get down!,” Krasner mentioned. Instantly after taking pictures Siderio, Mendoza informed his fellow officer the place to recuperate the youth’s gun, pointing to the situation, Krasner mentioned.

“The gun was sitting on the road under the curb line, practically 40 ft away. Thus, when Officer Mendoza fired the third and deadly shot, he knew the 12-year-old, 5-foot-tall, 111-pound Thomas Siderio now not had a gun,” Krasner mentioned.

Siderio was shot within the again when he was face down on the bottom “ready that approximates a pushup” and “he was presumably surrendering,” Krasner mentioned.

Siderio was later pronounced lifeless at a hospital.

(Reporting by Barbara Goldberg in New York; Enhancing by Cynthia Osterman)