Protest over Mexico police killing of Mexican-American teen

[Judi Lynn]

Updated 8:48 pm CDT, Friday, June 12, 2020

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Relatives, friends and neighbors of a 16-year-old Mexican-American boy shot dead by local police in southern Mexico demonstrated Friday to demand justice in the case.

Alexander Martínez Gómez, who had spent years of his short life on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, was shot in the head by a police officer Tuesday night in an incident still under investigation. Born in North Carolina, he had been living with his mother in Acatlan de Perez Figueroa, a town in southern Oaxaca state.

“We came in a caravan from town, with the support of all the people, who told us to keep going,” said Teodoro Martínez, the boy's father. “We are not going to give them much time to get to the bottom of this.”

The father left North Carolina to attend his son's funeral, but he has no visa and may not be able to return, he fears.

More:
https://www.chron.com/news/article/Protest-over-Mexico-police-killing-of-15337329.php

American teenager, 16, who moved to Mexico to play soccer, is shot dead by police who 'confused him for a criminal and placed a gun on him'

Alexander Martínez Gómez was shot in the head by the police Tuesday night in Acatlán de Pérez Figueroa, a city in the southern Mexico state of Oaxaca

15-year-old Mexican native Carlos Ramos was also wounded in the incident
Martínez Gómez's mother said he and three other friends were going to a store at a local gas station to buy a soda when he was shot dead

A law enforcement official said Martínez Gómez was with eight other youths riding motorcycles when the cops opened fired

The agent said Martínez Gómez was shot after he failed to stop at a checkpoint

Martínez Gómez's mother accused the police of planting a gun on his hand

The 16-year-old was a native of North Carolina and had moved to Mexico to follow his dream of becoming soccer's next star

He played for Tierra Blanca Rayados, a third division affiliate of Liga MX's Monterrey

By ASSOCIATED PRESS and ADRY TORRES FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 13:01 EDT, 11 June 2020 | UPDATED: 17:11 EDT, 11 June 2020

. . .

The Acatlán de Pérez Figueroa government said in a statement that the police officer, who did not fire 'in bad faith,' was in custody. The National Guard and the Oaxaca state police assumed control of policing in Acatlán de Pérez Figueroa on Thursday.

Virginia Gómez appeared in a video shared on social media clamoring for justice while clutching on her son's soccer ball. She said her son and three of her friends were going to a store at a gas station to buy a soda.

'I want my son and here he is, dead, with a shot to the head,' she said as she stood next to his coffin. 'Look at how they left him. Do you think it's right? They still took it upon themselves to put a gun on my son's hands.'

More:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8411665/Officials-US-teen-killed-police-shotgun-blast-Mexico.html