Police: Teen shot after displaying real-looking replica gun

CENTERVILLE, Ohio (AP) – Police in Ohio say a 15-year-old boy wounded by officers after he refused repeated commands to put down his weapon had pointed a real-looking replica handgun at an officer.

Centerville Police Chief Bruce Robertson on Friday displayed a photo, saying “you can’t tell that’s a replica handgun.” Two officers fired Thursday at the teenager, hitting him three times. Police say the wounds aren’t life-threatening.

Robertson said police had earlier contact with the boy, who lives in Centerville some 20 miles south of Dayton.

He said surveillance video shows the boy was inside the police department before the encounter outside when an officer spotted him crouching behind a bush. Police say the youth drew the apparent weapon from his waistband and pointed it at the officer.

No one else was injured.