On Tuesday, September 17, the Utica city clerk received a notice of claim from ECBAWM client, the mother of 13-year-old Nyah Mway. Mway and another teen were stopped for jaywalking by Utica police officers at around 10pm on June 28th. After a short pursuit, Officer Bryce Patterson had Mway pinned to the ground when Officer Patrick Husnay walked over and shot Mway in the chest, killing him. The notice of claim named Officers Husnay, Patterson, and Andrew Citriniti, as well as the City of Utica.

Mway’s family had 90 days from the incident to file a notice of claim, preserving their right to bring a lawsuit against the City of Utica. The notice lists claims for false arrest, wrongful death, excessive force, violation of civil rights, failure to intervene, and others. The shooting remains under investigation by the New York State Attorney General’s Office.

In a quote to The Daily Sentinel, ECBAWM partner Julia P. Kuan said, “The heart of this case is the unjustified killing of this young boy. Nyah Mway was a 13-year-old boy who did not pose a risk to the officers. These officers overreacted and used force that was unnecessary.”

The family of Nyah Mway is represented by ECBAWM partners Julia P. Kuan and Earl S. Ward, along with associate Hafsa S. Mansoor.