The FBI is investigating of the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Andy Lopez by a sheriff's deputy in Northern California after it emerged that police took no more than 10 seconds to open fire on Lopez after seeing him with a toy pellet gun. Sheriff Steve Freitas said in a statement Friday afternoon that he will cooperate fully with federal investigators and welcomes their participation in the probe of Andy Lopez's killing on Tuesday afternoon. The shooting has generated numerous protests and marches in the suburban town of Santa Rosa, with many residents questioning the deputy's decision to fire on the youth. Mr Lopez was spotted by deputies on Tuesday afternoon in Santa Rosa, California, carrying the toy rifle, which they mistakenly thought was a real assault weapon. The time that elapsed between when officers reported the sighting to dispatch and then reported shots fired was only 10 seconds. Hundreds of local residents marched on Wednesday night to remember the popular teen and protest at the senseless shooting. They chanted 'We need justice' as they questioned how the deputies could mistake a pellet gun for an assault rifle. According to a police statement, Lopez was twice instructed to put down his weapon, officers opened fire after he failed to comply - only 10 seconds later. Sixteen seconds later, the cops radioed for medical assistance. Ethan Oliver, who lives across the street, told KTVU.com that the deputies continued to shoot at the boy, even after he had fallen to the ground. Oliver said he went outside after hearing two gun shots and by that time Lopez was already on the ground. 'Then the cops went at it again and unloaded like six to seven shots,' he said. When asked if he meant that the deputy shot Lopez while he was on the ground, Oliver said, 'Yeah. Exactly what I saw.' Authorities haven't responded to his claims, but it raises the possibility that Lopez was still alive when he hit the ground after the first two shots were fired. During a news conference on Wednesday authorities displayed a real assault weapon and the pellet gun - which resembled an AK-47 with a black magazine and brown butt - to demonstrate how difficult it is to tell them apart. The coroner reported seven entry wounds, two of them fatal. Federal law requires replica guns to have an orange tip, but Lopez's toy rifle didn't have one. Police also revealed that Lopez had his back to the deputies, so they didn't realize he was so young. He was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and shorts. They claim Lopez was about 20 to 30 feet from them when he turned with the barrel of the gun pointing toward them and they opened fire because they feared for their lives. 'The deputy then fired several rounds from his service weapon at the subject,' said Santa Rosa Police Lt. Paul Henry, 'striking him at least one time. The subject immediately fell to the ground.' 'The deputy's mindset was that he was fearful that he was going to be shot.' Read More : http://patrynworldlatestnews.blogspot.com/ Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/patryn.worldlatestnews

• published: 26 Oct 2013
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