13-Year-Old With Toy Rifle Shot and Killed by Deputies Near Santa Rosa (Update)

UPDATE: Police Say 13-Year-Old Was Turning Toward Deputies When Fatally Shot

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By Bay City News - UPDATED

Sonoma County sheriff's deputies shot and killed a 13-year-old boy who had a replica rifle on Wednesday afternoon.

A law enforcement source identified the victim as Andrew Lopez Roca. According to his Facebook page, he went by Andy. 

The shooting occurred around 3 p.m. near the corner of West Robles and Moorland avenues, southwest of Santa Rosa.

Two deputies on patrol saw a male with a gun in that area and called for backup, sheriff's Lt. Dennis O'Leary said. The deputies ordered the male to drop the gun then fired several shots at him, O'Leary said.

The male then fell to the ground on top of the rifle, and the deputies ordered him to move away from the gun. When he did not move, the deputies went to handcuff him and realized he was unresponsive, O'Leary said.

The deputies secured the rifle and called for medical personnel, but Andy was pronounced dead at the scene.

Deputies discovered that the rifle was a replica, and found that that the teen also had a plastic gun in his waistband, O'Leary said.

The deputies were placed on administrative leave while Santa Rosa and Petaluma police and the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office investigate the incident.

Wednesday morning, Andy's friends posted mournful messages on his Facebook page. "Bye Andy R.I.P." one friend wrote. 

Correction: A previous version of this story misidentified the age of the victim. Patch regrets the error.

Copyright © 2013 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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