Utica, a small city in New York, came into the international spotlight when the BBC reported, "Boy, 13, shot dead by New York police had replica gun, authorities say." This tragic event occurred at the end of June in Utica, NY, USA.
The significance of this incident in a small city is underscored by the fact that it drew attention from global news outlets like the BBC.
The victim, Nyah Mwa, was a member of the Karen ethnic minority community in Utica. This city, with a population of about 65,000, is home to nearly 8,000 people from Myanmar. Most of them came as refugees, fleeing their country to escape oppression. They are deeply grateful to the country that opened its doors to them. With that grateful mindset, they naturally tend to idealize American society.
Nyah's parents and three siblings are devastated beyond words. His sister said, “My brother was an outgoing kid who loved to be outside biking and playing with his friends and family. Our parents and grandparents did not flee war and a corrupt military to be persecuted by American police.”
This is undoubtedly a real tragedy. However, I doubt the police will face punishment for this. The officer was justified in chasing the boy, suspecting him to be involved in an armed robbery because he resembled the description of the criminal. The boy ran only to make things worse. Additionally, the shooting would likely be deemed self-defense, as the officer believed the boy was aiming a real gun at him.
This incident is reminiscent of Michael Brown's case in Ferguson, Missouri. In the end, the court ruled that the police officer acted in self-defense when he killed Brown.
Beyond the immediate tragedy, there is a deeper one rooted in the family's idealized view of American society and a lack of understanding of its realities.
First, law enforcement officers are not immune to racial profiling or bias. We have witnessed too many such cases recently.
Second, if a cop suspects you of any criminal activity, running away only increases their suspicion and intensifies the pursuit. The commonsense practice is to stop and raise your hands high.
Third, brandishing a toy gun at an officer is incredibly dangerous and literally invites lethal consequences. This is the last thing you should do. But that's exactly what the boy did before his death.
A fitting Chinese saying for this situation is "水土不服" (shuǐ tǔ bù fú), which literally translates to "unable to adapt to the local water and soil." This describes someone who is uprooted from the land and culture that nurtured and raised them and is struggling but fail to adapt to a new environment or culture. In the context of the Utica tragic incident, this saying captures the idea that Nyah Mwa's family, who fled from a war-torn country to the U.S., may not have been fully prepared for the cultural and societal differences they encountered, leading to devastating loss.
Most importantly, Nyah Mwa's death serves as a stark lesson for all immigrants to America: be prepared. It is crucial to learn about American culture and society and understand what they are in for and how to protect themselves when facing law enforcement officers.