A 19-year-old Bangladesh-origin youth named Winn Rosario has been killed by the police in his home in the United States.
The incident took place around 1:30pm (local time) on Wednesday on 101 Avenue in Wozniak Park, New York.
The New York Times reported that the young man was mentally unstable and called 911 for help before he was shot.
According to police, when they arrived at the home, they found Winn Rosario with a pair of scissors. At this time, Winn went towards the police officers with a pair of scissors. After that, the police opened fire and Rosario succumbed to death.
The slain youth's 17-year-old brother Ushto Rozario witnessed the incident and disputed the police account. Ushto said her mother held her brother in her arms throughout the encounter.
He said: “Shooting like this was unnecessary. I don't think just a pair of scissors was a threat to two police officers."
Police Department Chief of Patrol John Chell said at a press conference: “Upon arrival, police attempted to take Rozario into custody. But he took out a pair of scissors from a drawer and ran towards the police. Rozario was then shot. They had no choice but to defend themselves.”
Police did not say how many times Rozario was shot. Rozario's family claims he was shot six times.
This entire incident was recorded on the police camera, said Chel. However, the footage was not immediately released.
Francis Rosario, Winn's father, said their family came to New York from Bangladesh 10 years ago. Winn's dream was to join the US Army. However, his plan was put on hold due to delays in getting a green card. He accused the police of killing his son.
The New York Times reports that Rozario is the third person to be shot by police in New York in the last two months. The Bangladeshi community has mixed reactions to this incident.
Expatriate Bangladeshis in New York have demanded justice for Winn's death. Winn Rozario's ancestral home is in Pubail, Gazipur.
