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Thomas Siderio shot at a an unmarked police vehicle occupied by plainclothes officers conducting an ongoing surveillance operation on 18th street, city police said. An alert for Siderio was issued by police when he went missing in 2020.
The officers were driving toward Siderio, who was standing on the corner of Barbara Street with another boy, when they heard gunfire and then realized a window in their vehicle had been shattered, authorities said.
That's when the officers got out of the car and began running after Siderio, who was still armed. One of the officers fired his gun twice, hitting Siderio once in the upper back once, the bullet leaving his body through his chest, authorities said.
Siderio was rushed to Presbyterian Hospital and pronounced dead at 7:29 p.m.
"I'm bleeding!" one of the officers can be heard saying on Ring footage from a neighbor at the scene.
"Last night, a young child with a gun in their hand purposely fired a weapon at our officers and by miracle, none of the officers suffered life threatening injuries," Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said.
"However, the life of a young man was cut tragically short, and we should all be questioning how we as a society have failed him and so many other young people like him. I ask that our community come together and be the community—the village—that we were intended to be, and that our children need."
"I assure the public that a fair and thorough investigation will be conducted by our Internal Affairs Division. Per protocol, these officers have been placed on administrative duty pending the outcome of the investigation."
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