Unarmed teenager shot dead by police in front of his mother as they chased him into his home

By Daily Mail Reporter
Updated: 18:33 EST, 3 February 2012

An unarmed Bronx teenager has been shot dead by a police officer in front of his mother.

Ramarley Graham, 19, was shot in the chest after being chased by the police into his family's apartment building on Thursday afternoon.

Moments before the fatal shooting, officers said they spotted the teen adjusting his waistband and thought he had a gun, reports the New York Daily News. 

Fatally wounded: Ramarley Graham, 19, was shot in the chest in front of his mother after being chased by the police into his family's apartment building in the Bronx

Fatally wounded: Ramarley Graham, 19, was shot in the chest after being chased by the police into his family's apartment building in the Bronx

Grief: Constance Malcolm, pictured here being comforted after the incident, witnessed her son being fatally shot by police in her home

Grief: Constance Malcolm, pictured here being comforted after the incident, witnessed her son being fatally shot by police in her home

'They chased him into the house,' his mother Constance Malcolm, 39, told the Daily News.

'Nobody deserves to be shot in their own home.'

Mr Graham had not been carrying a gun and no weapon was found at the scene.

He was rushed to Montefiore Medical Center, where he later died.

Mourning: Ramarley Graham's friends set up a shrine outside his home after the fatal shooting on Thursday

Mourning: Ramarley Graham's friends set up a shrine outside his home after the fatal shooting on Thursday

Mr Graham was shot at home in his second-floor Williamsbridge apartment, pictured, after a short police chase

Fatal shooting: Mr Graham was shot at home in his second-floor Williamsbridge apartment, pictured, after a short police chase

Officers from NYPD’s narcotics team had tried to approach Mr Graham after they witnessed him make a drug deal in the street, sources told the Daily News.

But the teenager ran away and was followed by cops as he headed into his second-floor Williamsbridge apartment.

Once inside, Mr Graham headed for the bathroom, apparently trying to flush marijuana he had away, with two officers behind him.

The police initially claimed a struggle had followed in which the teen was shot in the upper left chest.

Investigating: Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that he did not believe the officers had struggled with the suspect before he was shot

Investigating: Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said that he did not believe the officers had struggled with the suspect before he was shot

However, Police Commissioner Ray Kelly told the New York Post that he did not believe the officers had struggled with the suspect before he was shot. 

According to Mr Kelly’s account, as Mr Graham tried to flush drugs down the toilet, one of the officers yelled: 'Show me your hands! Show me your hands! Gun! Gun!'

That officer then shot him with his service weapon, a 9mm Glock.

'We need to continue to gather facts at this juncture,' Mr Kelly told the newspaper.

'We see an unarmed person being shot. That always concerns us.'

The two officers involved in the fatal shooting have been placed on restricted duty, reports the Post.

On Wednesday police in Chicago shot dead a 15-year-old autistic Stephone Watts who was wielding a butter knife.

Click on DNAinfo.com for more on this story.

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